Re: XML example [was RE: Difference 'twixt XHTML and XML?]

G'Day Tamara,

At 22:42 5/05/00 -0500, Tamara Abbey wrote:
>I've seen, read and saved enough of your posts to know there must be more 
>to your initial answer/example. I've looked at XML and some of the things 
>you describe below are not new to me (I haven't used them yet though), but 
>the IE warning was news. So, since this list discusses cross-browser 
>compatibility, I have been anxious to get the rest of your answer.

Yes, there is a limit to how much you can say in an email :)

>I kept thinking I must be missing a piece of the puzzle. It's still a 
>puzzle, but at least it's starting to look like something.

The site I look after is an educational site, and accessibility to all is 
of prime importance.  So, like you, I've been interested in cross-browser 
compatibility in addition to web accessibility for disabled access.

In Australia, however, there is an extraordinary level of mobile phones use 
and I can see a ready market for "internet enhanced" services. There was 
the inital push towards answering services (you know the sort of thing: "If 
you want xxxxxx, press the 1 button now...") - this was seen as a 
cost-saving mechanism by many companies.  We are seeing a backlash against 
this type of system with some companies reverting to telephone operators as 
a means of providing "improved customer support".

There is also the use of "instant messaging" via telephones.  These 
technologies are converging!  Instead of dialing the local pizza store and 
being put on hold, it may be easier to see the menu displayed on your phone 
and place your order without speaking to an operator.

While much of this technology is currently available, it is still too 
immature for commercial use - both from a (disabled) accessibility 
viewpoint and from the ability to identify the capabilities of the user's 
device and customise the results accordingly.

When the technology change does come through, we will initially see 
companies developing two (or more) sites that must be 
maintained.  Eventually the heavy maintenance load will force companies 
into developing XML files that contains all information for a page and 
transforming that information via templates into pages for specific 
browsing devices.  After all, we saw the same sort of dicotomy back during 
the browser wars.

HTML does not contain the flexibility needed, although it will remain one 
of the forms in which the XML information is published.

>So, while learning XML/XHTML has been on my list of things to do, I've 
>always figured I'd get to it when people like my friend and my Uncle Bud 
>could handle that type of thing. You make some interesting points and I 
>appreciate your taking the time to answer.
>
>Now, I'm going to go curl up with my O'Reilly XML handbook (yes, Darrell, 
>really) .

You've got time, but it pays to start learning now and be ahead of the 
rest.  XML requires a few added skills, and the transformations require 
even more (I'm still battling with them myself :)

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