Re: [docbook-apps] Pros and cons DocBook vs Word2003

[Bob Stayton <bobs@sco.com>]

On Fri, Nov 14, 2003 at 11:28:39AM +0100, Kenneth Johansson wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Our organization is migrating from Word to XML. I've suggested DocBook and
> XXE (XMLmind XML Editor). 
> 
> * Modular files DocBook vs Word 2003
> It is possible to use a modular structure in Word as well as in DocBook.
> What does DocBook do better which Word can't?

Yes, Word has the concept of a "book" that consists of
a list of chapters. You can generate a book table of
contents and index, and form cross references anywhere
in the book.

But there is only one level of modularity in Word.
DocBook lets you nest modules as needed, so a chapter
could be made up of smaller section modules.
 
> * Cross-links
> Is it possible to create live cross-links in Word which if used online e.g.
> opens another PDF-file?

In Word, there are two kinds of live links.
There is a "hyperlink" which can refer to a bookmark
in the current document or to a URL for any other document.
If the url is a PDF file then Word 
will fork the PDF viewer.  The other kind of reference
is a "cross reference" to another place in the current document.
This is like the DocBook xref element because its
text is generated.  You have several choices for which
text is generated (number, title, etc.).

The one linking feature of DocBook that Word cannot do
is generate text for an external document link.  DocBook
can do that with an empty olink.


Bob Stayton                                 400 Encinal Street
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