xml-dev - Re: Introduction and a few questions

["Mike Sharp" <msharp@lante.com>]

<Peter said= "It's very difficult. I do all my websites in 100%-XML. This makes
them maintainable so that internal links don't break, the material is re-usable,
entities are normalised etc. However I transform to (X)HTML for delivery, expect
for those demo bits - SVG, CML, etc. I would love to be able to serve the site
in XML - but I don't think I can rely on it. But, if you use XML even in this
way you will benefit from the re-usability." />


Using this approach (which I recommend, especially when the site must employ XML
as many now are doing), there is the additional advantage of not having to write
complex (X)HTML that renders on multiple browsers.  I find it easier to do a
plain version, then mark it up separately to support various browsers.  The
application logic is the same code base for all client platforms, and the only
thing that changes from client to client is a relatively small XSL file that
gets processed on the server.  That way you avoid complicated markup scattered
throughout the page like: if (document.layers){do some netscape stuff}{else do
some IE stuff}.  And worse, trying to fit combinations of HTML attributes in the
same tag so that it renders correctly across all platforms.  Suddenly
cross-browser issues become non-issues.

For now, serving the site in XML opens a can of worms, unless you can count on
your users using the same browser version or plugin.  I've gone to great lengths
to make a site that servers the XML and XSL separately work properly on IE 5.00
as well as IE 5.01, etc, although I can do some incredible client side magic if
I take the trouble to do it that way.  But, those features are limited to IE 5
users.  Hopefully this will change when NS 6 comes out.   At that point, it will
probably be a good idea to take the trouble to serve XML and XSL to clients that
support it, and transform everything else on the server.

Regards,
Mike Sharp

Lante Corporation

If swimming is good for your shape, then why do the whales look the way they do?
  -- KPIG




..................................
http://www.lante.com



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