[Date Prev] | [Thread Prev] | [Thread Next] | [Date Next] -- [Date Index] | [Thread Index] | [Elist Home]
Subject: Re: DOCBOOK: DocBook 4.0 - SGML or XML?
> From: Colin Paul Adams <colin@colina.demon.co.uk> > > I shall shortly be upgrading from 3.1 to 4.0. But should I be looking > to use the SGML DTD or XML? What are the pros and cons of these two > alternatives? I'll be provocative and say that XML has a future and SGML doesn't. Look around and you will see an enormous worldwide development effort in XML, with new parsers, formatters, standards, and extensions coming out so fast that no one can keep up with it all. There is nothing equivalent on the SGML side. With SGML, you are limited to a short list of available tools, and the DSSSL and FOSI formatting languages, neither of which have many practitioners. However, SGML is a more mature and stable standard, and the tools aren't all versioned "zero.something" as many are on the XML side. But there is such an active development community in XML that tools don't stay broken long, and you usually can pick another one anyway if you have to. But you say you will be "upgrading" from 3.1 to 4.0, which implies you already have legacy SGML content. Depending on how much SGML you have, you'll have to include your conversion effort in your comparison. I believe anyone starting out fresh would be better off in the long run by choosing XML. bobs Bob Stayton 400 Encinal Street Publications Architect Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Technical Publications voice: (831) 427-7796 The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. fax: (831) 429-1887 email: bobs@sco.com
[Date Prev] | [Thread Prev] | [Thread Next] | [Date Next] -- [Date Index] | [Thread Index] | [Elist Home]
Powered by eList eXpress LLC