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Most Frequently asked business questions about XML from current or prospective SGML users
 
Jeanne   El Andaloussi
  Director of Operations
  AIS
15-17, rue Remy Dumoncel
Paris   France  75014
Phone: 331 40 64 43 00
Phone: 331 40 64 43 10
Email: jela@ais.berger-levrault.fr
 
ABSTRACT:
 
With the sudden advent of XML in 1997 (because many did not take it seriously in 1996) and the relative lack of information about it except technical, a number of current or prospective users have found their plans thrown into doubt. They now have serious questions to ask to the "big names" in the SGML community, software providers and the integrators who promised stability, longevity, flexibility and above all peace of mind. Questions collected from several user/integrators/vendor encounters will be given pragmatic answers during the talk.
 
The following questions have been collected from discussions with customers and friends who are current or prospective users of SGML and who are curious of or worried about the arrival of XML on the market.
 
  1. What is XML ?
  2. Is it a new version of HTML ?
  3. Is it a real standard ?
  4. In what way is it different from SGML ?
  5. Why was it created in the first place ?
  6. What is it useful for ?
  7. Who is it for ?
  8. Do I need to switch to XML ? What does it imply ?
  9. Are there reliable XML tools available on the market ?
  10. I have SGML data, can I convert them to XML ? Is it expensive ? Do I need to convert my data ?
  11. In my company we have word files. Should I convert them to SGML or to XML ?
  12. With XML do you need a DTD ?
  13. What is an XML DTD ?
  14. Do I need to change my existing SGML DTDs ? If yes, how ?
  15. Up to a year ago, you swore SGML meant reliability and longevity of my company data. Now what does it mean with this new XML standard ?
  16. Are there things that I can do in XML that I can't do in SGML ? And inversely ?
  17. Is it less expensive than SGML ? In production and in distribution ?
  18. Is XML a Microsoft invention ?
  19. How do XSL and XLL relate to XML ?
  20. Will my native SGML database take XML ?
  21. Does XML mean SGML death ?
 
AECMA 1000D and IETP : Diverse approach to define IETP from Data-Modules,   Table of contents   Indexes   Implementation of Ediaudit on a data certification server