Re: What shall we do with the W3C DOM?

At 10:48 PM 6/11/2002 -0700, Rob Atkinson wrote:
>I'm not up-to-snuff on the DOM and see what you suggest, as more of an 
>improvement through XML. We designers have long been using snippets of 
>this 'n' that coding to provide various ways of User interoperability.
>
>This creates problems though, as various coding languages or plugins are 
>used/required and are not available to everyone -- through design or 
>choice. It was my understanding that XML is going to bridge that gap by 
>providing a Standard that is the same for everyone.

Actually, the aim was to have an XML file in place of each HTML page - then 
in response to either the browser or a user specification, the XML file 
could be translated via XSLT into HTML (or WML or whatever) suitable for 
the user.

I'd really like to point out a common misunderstanding: "XML" isn't a 
"mark-up language", but a "set of guidelines" or rules that you can use to 
create your own (XML-based) language specific to your individual 
needs.  (OTOH you may choose to

XSLT allows you to transform _your_ XML-based language into standards-based 
languages like HTML, XHTML, WML, PDF, and RTF (to name a few).

Varying coding languages and plugins are still be used as "one appropriate 
outcome" from the XML file - if you choose.

>I don't know if it will replace all the features provided through a 
>Database or SSI scripting, but it will definitely make designing and 
>coding for everyone, a lot easier.

SSI scripting can still be included, although with XSLT, it's just as easy 
to let _it_ perform the SSI.

Databases can still be of use either to manage the XML files (ie. a content 
management system), or to provide input to the XML file for transformation 
(eg product/inventory management).

>Methinks I need to have a more thorough look at the DOM. :-)

Certainly the DOM is a useful starting point for XSLT and understanding the 
enormous potential XML has opened to us.


Chris Higgs
Manager, New Learning Technology
ILFR, University of Melbourne
http://www.landfood.unimelb.edu.au/
Phone: +61 3 8344 9749  Fax: + 61 3 9348 2156 

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