Re: XML: XHTML vs. DITA/DocBook

[Sean Wheller <sean -at- inwords -dot- co -dot- za>]

On Wednesday 25 January 2006 00:43, Julie Stickler wrote:
> ::sigh::

Oh dear, I should have stated that I was sending my response to Eric. Julie, I 
was not referencing your message :-)

I just did not agree with the statement of Erics message (copied below). Eric 
tended to drive deep into hair splitting, when it was not called for. A 
person looking for an introduction to the HTML/XML story and the benefit it 
would give in a techdoc environment, would get enough of an idea without 
having to understand what Eric is saying.

So, perhaps Eric would like to improve the article, with the audience in mind, 
for future use.

On Tuesday 24 January 2006 22:00, eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com wrote:
> > This has helped others in the past, it may help you.
> >
>  > http://www.sastc.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Ite
>  >mid=35
>
> If only it didn't start with the erroneous:
> "XML therefore not a replacement for HTML. HTML is purely about displaying
> information, while XML is solely about describing it. Both contain data,
> but XML separates the data from the presentation layer."
>
> First, it is wrong to compare HTML (a markup language implementation) and
> XML (a metalanguage). Second, XML IS a replacement for HTML given an XML
> aware browser and appropriate DTD/styles/schema. XHTML is XML and is a
> direct replacement for HTML. Third, HTML is neither all about displaying,
> nor is XML all about describing data. Depends on the use and application
> (dtd/schema). All wrapped up with a statement that is gratuitous. The XML
> implementation XHTML is no more about data and presentation separation than
> the SGML implementation HTML.
>
> The comparison that is being made in the article is not one of HTML versus
> XML, but unstructured authoring versus structured authoring.
>
> HTML is an implementation of SGML. Just as DITA, Docbook, or any other XML
> compliant schema/dtd is an implementation of XML.
>
> Taken with a bucket of salt, the article may give some useful information
> and direction however.
>
>  Eric L. Dunn
>  Senior Technical Writer
-- 
Sean Wheller
Technical Author
sean -at- inwords -dot- co -dot- za
+27-84-854-9408
http://www.inwords.co.za
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