xml-dev - Re: good book on XML

[Peter Murray-Rust <peter@ursus.demon.co.uk>]

At 02:47 AM 2/22/00 -0500, Frank Boumphrey wrote:
><peter>We have the
>opportunity in XML to create a new approach to "books" since we control the
>technology of publication. An XML "book" is no longer static, but
>distributed over time, place and society. </peter>
>
>As a published author, I am probably shooting myself in the foot,

You would if you stood still. However if you continue to move your feet
rapidly then they will escape. The Web-paradigm says this is an imperative.
The unknowns are not if, but when - how fast - on what scale - etc.
> however, I
>think this is an awfully good idea!
>
>We would need to do the following
>
>1. create an outline and agree on content
>2. get volunteers for each chapter
>3. write the chapters
>4. Update the content

I have been through this before. 1995 I ran a virtual course on protein
structure where we did exactly this. It was incredible. *BUT* it needed a
real-life paid person besides myself (voluntary at that stage). 

>
>We would probably also need three books
>
>1. beginers
>2. Intermediate
>3. Cutting edge

 This is XML. We can have one resource and a multitude of views
(stylesheets, entities, etc.). The big difficulty in creating a "beginners"
book is not writing it, but reacting dynamically to the feedback. Printed
books usually can't do this. XML-books can.

>
>Frank
>
>Are there opportunities here for XML-DEV?

I definitely think so. 

I do not think there need be an insuperable gulf between voluntary and paid
work. I think there often does need to be an income to help the
"maintenance".  Most of the "Open" efforts have accompanying commercial
support (GNU, Tex, Tcl, XML, etc.).

I also think that there will be a demand for paper from this effort!


	P.

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