SGML

[Paul Beck <Paul_Beck -at- 3MAIL -dot- 3COM -dot- COM>]

Pam brings up an interesting question in her queries on this subject.

Another appropriate question (or maybe another way to ask the same question)
is:

Since there are lots of "mere image flippers" in the market today, does anyone
know of an application (or one being considered) that is the "tool" rather than
a press or conversion process using word processed-page based input generating
an output to the user in viewer form?

My take on the current state of online documentation is there is too much
emphasis on the pre-word processed, page-based product ported to a read-only
viewer rather than true online documentation.

An online documentation tool departing from this approach would be an
application that would provide a varied toolbox of options for the writer.  The
writer would use the tools to generate documentation with the interface,
platform, and the User in mind rather than the current publishing standard, the
page format.  Naturally the platforms of choice would include at least DOS,
Windows, Unix, and the Mac.  Oh yeah, OS/2. (Why? Because it's there,
somewhere!)

Ideas?  Information?

PLB
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I need some inputs regarding two subjects:

o First, if any of you have converted documents to SGML, I'd like to hear
  about your experiences with this.

o Second, what are your opinions about ASCII-based online display systems
  (such as DynaText, which seems to be the current darling of the SGML
  purists) compared to image-based online display systems (such as FrameViewer
  or WorldView, which the same SGML purists dismiss as "mere image flippers").

I'm not specifically interested in tools (we use Interleaf and plan to
continue using Interleaf).

Thanks!

Pam Tatge (pamt -at- steinbeck -dot- sc -dot- ti -dot- com)
Member, Group Technical Staff
Texas Instruments Semiconductor Group--Houston