RE: HTML vs XML

Hi Jon--

>>Will all browsers interpret XML?

XML is awesome! Having the appropriate XSL and DTD is essential and yes, you
still need to use HTML, BUT you can have a source document that, with the
correct DTD and XSL defined, be used for websites, print production, film,
database queries and more!

However, despite growing acceptance of the XML data-type, tools for it
remain primarily PC-based and until the big guys come to terms on standards
for the DTD of data types and standards (the automotive industry and banking
industry are coming close), we could bust our katooties working out a great
DTD system for print catalogs only to have it "non-standard" when the dust
settles. The next generation of Netscape promises to embrace XML
standards... mostly. IE already does... mostly (MACs are really having a
hard time with this one as far as consistent compatibility and tools).

My company is experimenting with XML tags generated from a secure order form
on our web site. The resulting code flows into our order processing system
so that our shipping department  has the info it needs to fill an order, the
billing department has the info flowed into our existing billing programs
and our customer mailing database has all the info IT needs for future use.
It is still in beta, but initial test submissions are being handled
correctly, seamlessly.

I think of it like CSS... you still need to do the code. You can't do web
work (as I know it) without HTML. With XML you can take source copy and do
MORE.

kali
kaliajer(at)mail.com

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