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I'm not sure XML is ready for typical online help solutions... Or is
the problem the other way around (help solutions not ready for XML)?
There are two things I have noticed about XML:
XML is often used or thought of just as SGML. That is to say, people
are making data repositories, writing chunks, assembling chunks, etc...
This is more or less the way SGML has been used for years, and nothing
new except that more people know about it. In this role, XML requires a
DTD and all that other rigor SGML requires, because one goal is to have
apparently free-form data in a form that can be processed. Technical
writers should take note, because the rigor influences how they write,
and how they think about writing. You can use it today in this way...
You would need to set up a large pubs app, and would probably be moving
toward single-source solutions. This works out to a problem of return
on investment... If your page count is really high, look into this.
XML is an attractive vehicle for B2B, B2C, and other transactions.
Currently, it seems the INet bandwidth isn't there, because XML is
bigger than other forms of exchange. But XML is attractive because it's
an open standard, you can share DTDs on the fly, and it can express
database-like stuff, as well as more free-form information. Technical
writers should take note because if they want to document software, in
the not-too-distant future any software (aside from *some* games) they
document will include these sorts of transactions somewhere (IMHO).
I'll take this opportunity to point out that while XML refines the
concept, it brings nothing *fundamentally* new (that I'm aware of -
please enlighten me) to SGML. (Yes, you can pass around XML without a
DTD, but I haven't encountered much action in that direction.) However,
it has acheived BUZZWORD status. I believe that is because of the B2B
world, that suddenly saw ways to make money using it. Wait for the
current market "correction" to settle, and increased bandwidth - then
you'll see some real action.
I believe SGML was initially developed to free the military from
proprietary document formats. It became apparent that you can use the
technology in lots of cool ways, chunking and reassembling information,
then checking to make sure it's "valid" in structure. Still, it was a
niche market, more or less. No sex appeal, no dollar signs spinning
wildly behind the eyes of MBAs. XML is changing that, and so MicroSoft
(among others) will probably move toward native XML in/out for Office,
if not other products. That will urge us all along. And look to the
.NET platform to cement all this.
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