[ode] Re: Existing Doc Systems, Part 3 (XML)


Sandy Harris (sandy@storm.ca)
Wed, 12 Jan 2000 21:39:48 -0500


Kim Lester wrote:
>
> Existing Doc Systems, Part 3 (XML)
> ==================================
>
> Warning: This is mostly guesswork.

I'll correct a few guesses.
 
> Most comments that apply to SGML apply to XML.
> I admit to not knowing the exact difference between the two
> but I believe it to be roughly the following:
> SGML is an ISO standard (ominous/arguable benefit :-))
> XML is a W3 Consortium standard

 
> XML (Extensive Markup Language)

Extensible.

> ---
> http://www.w3.org/XML/
> http://www.w3.org/XML/1999/XML-in-10-points [good intro]
> http://www.oasis-open.org/cover/sgml-xml.html
>
>
> XML is the new universal format for web based information.
>
> XML is essentially the same as SGML (perhaps technically a subset)
> but it defines a few issues more rigidly which makes the XML
> based formats easier to parse in software.
>
> XML vs HTML
> -----------
> The difference between XML and HTML is that HTML tags define
> how text/data is displayed. XML tags define what the text/data
> is (eg author/title etc). How these are displayed is a separate
> issue.
>
> XML and DocBook
> ---------------
>
> DocBook is an SGML DTD.
> XML doesn't necessarilty require a DTD but it is a good idea (??)
> There will be an XML - DocBook DTD.
> An alpha version can be found at:
> http://www.nwalsh.com/docbook/xml/

It's more complex than that.

The DocBook folks have an interesting policy, one I wish more software
projects would follow :-) They actually plan ahead! When release N
comes out, it has a list of what features will change in N+1, and
they don't change anything else.

Some nice feature that isn't on that list must wait to be announced
with N+1 and released with N+2.

Releases are usually about a year apart and an XML version of the
DTD was not announced with the last one, so it is some way off.

That said, Norm Walsh (the URL you give) has one, and it is likely
better than alpha quality. Walsh wrote (or co-authored) both the
DocBook book you cite and, some years earlier, the O'Reilly book
on TeX. He does seem to know what he's doing. Also, he's on the
Oasis committee that defines the DocBook standard, so it seems
likely the eventual standard for XML DocBook will resemble his
version.
 
> XML Editors/Viewers and other Software
> --------------------------------------
> It is anticipated that XML browsers will become available
> "soon".
>
> Look at the w3.org site. There is a range of XML software.

Their open source Amaya browser/editor handles HTML and XHTML in
the current release. XML is an announced goal; I've no idea of
the schedule.
 
> XSL (XML Style Sheet)
> ---
>
> XSL is to XML what DSSSL is to SGML (phew!)
> (ie it defines how XML looks on screen/paper)
> http://www.w3.org/TR/xsl

Walsh is on that committee too.



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