Re: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help

Subject: Re: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help
From: eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 16:59:17 -0500


"Mark Baker" <listsub -at- analecta -dot- com> wrote on 12/15/2003 04:45:38 PM:
> I have no idea what the second part of that sentence means, but lets
> acknowledge that words do (legitimately) get used in
> multiple senses.

But, we have to agree on what sense they are being used in and stick to ONE
definition while in the same context.

> In the sense that DocBook is the name of a DTD it is
> indeed comparable to a
> FrameMaker template -- a comparison I made (and which David Neeley
> vehemently objected to).

Missed the objection. But a DTD is no more than a structural template that
thanks to the SGML or XML standard can be validated by a parser.

> But there is also the DocBook "tool chain" that Sean and
> Bill referred to
> and the word "DocBook" can also legitimately be used to refer to the
> combination of the DTD and that tool chain. Both Sean and
> Bill used it in
> that sense. It was in that sense the I compared Docbook to
> Word or Frame and
> in that sense the comparison is perfectly applicable.

And that is where much of this unresolvable discussion derails itself. No-one is
using the same definitions. If Docbook is a toolchain, then you if you have
FrameMaker installed, you have Docbook. If Sean and Bill are referring to
another tool chain, then let's here which tool accomplishes which task at which
point and why that tools is best. What are the advantages or disadvantages.

Let's have a really intelligent discussion and split each thought to the thread
in which it belongs.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of the Docbook DTD.
What are the advantages/disadvantages of various editors.
What are the advantages/disadvantages of various validators/parsers.
What tools are available for Docbook, what toolsets are available.
What are the advantages/disadvantages of these toolsets.
How customisable are the toolsets.

Eric L. Dunn
Senior Technical Writer



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