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Re: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help

Subject: Re: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help
From: Jan Henning <henning -at- r-l -dot- de>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 08:41:46 +0100


XML allows you to define a set of elements and a content model for those
elements, thus creating a tagging language which can be validated by a
standard XML parser.

DocBook is a set of element defintions and a content model. You can use it
to markup the document structure of technical documents.

SVG is a set of element definitions and a content model. You can use it to
create a set of instructions for drawing scalable vector graphics.

You cannot use Docbook to define a set of elements and a content model for
those elements, so it does not have the general capabilities of XML.

You cannot use Docbook to create a set of instructions for drawing scalable
vector graphics, so it does not have the specific capabilities of all
applications of XML.

These are the capabilities of XML that you are not getting if you adopt
Docbook.

While this is true in a way, it seems to me like sophistry: Following your reasoning, you do not "get the characteristics of XML" with any kind of XML application you are creating that involves a DTD. I.e., you "Get" these "characteristics" only when creating DTDs or other vocabulary definitions, but not when actually using them. This is no particular feature of DocBook, it is true of any actual use of an XML-based vocabulary.

What matters to me is that I get with DocBook the general capabilities that I would get with any XML DTD plus I there are a number of predefined tools that I can use out of the box (if I use pure or restricted DocBook) or easily adapt to me needs (if I extend the DocBook DTD).

In that context it seems simply meaningless to me to say that in some intellectual sense DocBook can be considered to not offer me all the 'characteristics' of XML.

Regards
Jan Henning

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Follow-Ups:

References:
RE: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help: From: France Baril
Re: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help: From: Mark Baker
Re: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help: From: Jan Henning
Re: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help: From: Mark Baker

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