Re: Strawman XML

[Rich Roth <ri...@on-the-net.com>]

On Sat, 4 Sep 1999, sehh of H.I.C. & D.B.S. wrote:

> I am the author of ServerConfig/2, GUI config util for OS/2. What i was
> looking for, was a 'version' of the Apache documentation which could be
> compiled under the OS/2 help file

> Another important issue is portability, HTML is a good choice since it
> can be converted into many other formats, like online Help facilities,
> unlike PDF which needs a PDF viewer and can't be called within a program
> as online help. 

Actually HTML is not a good base for conversion since it does not have a
lot of the information in a format converters can handle very acurrately
for a wide range of uses. 

> XML is a good choice, but you have to consider that the Apache
> documentation must also exist online in Apache's website, and HTML is a
> more suitable format since it can be browsed by older browsers. 

It is far simplier to convert HTML to XML than HTML to XML and other
formats - XML contains information that HTML doesn't and is better formed
producing more accurate results.  There are a number of tools to convert
XML to HTML plus newer browsers can display XML directly.

net-net: I think you have it backward, the better way is to use the more
advanced and standardized format (XML) and include HTML in one of the
standard renderings.

Later ...

Rich Roth --- On-the-Net

Direct:	 Box 927, Northampton, MA 01061, Voice: 413-586-9668

Email: rich@on-the-net.com                    Url: http://east.on-the-net.com
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