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Re: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help
Subject:Re: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help From:Sean Wheller <seanwhe -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 16 Dec 2003 03:07:58 -0800 (PST)
From: "Jan Henning"
> 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.
I agree, thank you Jan.
>
> 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).
Which for the majority is a major advantage. Docbook
and TEI are not only
very accessible, but if required operation can
customize. Either extending
or restricting as required by the operating
environment. However, as TDG
tells us. If you customize Docbook, then "it ain't
Docbook no more". Many
projects have started with Docbook and then built
customization layers on
the DTD/XSD and for the XSL's. In most cases the
Docbook sources remain and
continue to increment as versions are released. The
customization layers
normally abstract docbook to address specific
requirements. The result is
that authors see the proprietry DTD/XSD's and XSL's
and use the
functionality provided. As said before, sometimes this
is greater than
docbook and sometimes it is a subset.
>
> 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.
I think Jan is right. Docbook does offer all the
'characteristics' of XML.
Just because the vocabulary of the DTD/XSD
particularly suited to computer
books, does not make it XML. Docbook XML documents can
be easily transformed
to the vocab of other DTD/XSD's. As can the vocab of
XML written according
to these other DTD/XSD's be transformed to be valid
Docbook XML.
Sean Wheller
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