In this section, we enter the heart and principal purpose of the book. We explore in some detail the application potential and offer numerous examples of usage models. We also consider the user interface characteristics of each profile and review the profile dependencies provided within the specification.

The implementation of a profile ultimately provides an end-user function and encourages a common theme for interoperability. There are thirteen profiles in the current v1.1 specification; each profile presented in this section can be reviewed independently as a self-contained pocket reference for the reader. As such, there is no need to cross-reference other chapters.

Each chapter is laid out in a structured way to introduce a profile from a conceptual point-of-view and to stimulate the growth of further ideas. An exploratory presentation is made of typical user expectations, focusing primarily upon how a user might perceive the end-functionality of a given profile with illustrative examples.

Please note that some content is shared by the ‘Lifting the Lid’ sections of the various profile chapters in Part II. This is entirely deliberate on the part of the author; the structure is intended to allow the reader to gain a comprehensive understanding of each profile on an individual basis, without the need for continual cross-referencing. It also illustrates the simplicity of application development as the same dependencies can be seen at work within a variety of profiles.