xml-dev - RE: Recommended Simple XML Tools

[Didier PH Martin <martind@netfolder.com>]

Hi,

A good example of a very simple XML editor: the Muyara editor (ref:
http://www.muyara.com ).

Scenario:

Going to the Muyara site and getting puzzled that it seems the site is
talking about a drawing tool. Silent thoughts "But I said an XML editor, not
a drawing tool!". A reply "This is what I said, this is an XML editor". More
puzzled than before....

Some wisdom now:
As the XML technology is evolving, we'll see more and more editors of the
Muyara type. XML is not a language, it is a meta language used to create
domain languages. That good point is that these languages share a common set
of rules and can be parsed with the same parser. However, they all need a
different interpreter (the step after the parsing). Can we say now that
there is two kinds of XML based languages? (domain language families)
- rendering languages
- modeling languages

The former types are languages intended to be interpreted and provide to us,
humans, a perception experience. Said differently, use an XML based language
as a king of rendering scenario. Usually these languages do not convey a lot
of semantic value. After all, their role in life is to render. Among these
language: XHTML, SVG, SMIL, VoiceXML, etc... Obviously some may convey more
semantic value than other like for instance stating that a document fragment
is a paragraph but will not tell you that this paragraph is about the South
Africa penguins. But most browser will display a paragraph is about the same
way (at least Those like Netscape, Explorer, Opera, etc..)

The latter types are languages with semantic value. They are used to encode
a mental model, a view of the world, an information unit, a piece of
knowledge, etc...

For XML based rendering languages, expect to see, in the near future several
editors of the type What You See is What You Get (WYSIWYG). For instance,
the Muyara editor produces SVG documents, you have the choice between
several HTML editor (word processor type) that will migrate to XHTML. Real
Presenter is using PowerPoint to create SMIL documents, and expect to see
some Visio kind of editors for VoiceXML. etc..etc...

For modeling languages? It depends, if the storage unit is a SQL server, and
this latter like Oracle or SQL Server produce XML output, then a visual DB
modeling tool with a good text editor would do the Job until someone provide
a fully integrated tool. etc... Perhaps a visual tool a la Rational UML tool

I would say that it all depends of the language you intent to use, edit,
create. A modeling language? A rendering language? SMIL? Oracle XSQL?, or
any of the hundreds out there with their DTD or schema stored in
repositories like OASIS or Biztalk and Tutti Quanti.

Maybe the question should be now: What language do you want to edit?

PS: XML is a bit like the alphabet. Sooner or later we have to talk about
literature not the alphabet :-)). OK, now lunch time, a 130 KM bike ride is
enough to turn you into a huge living stomach :-)), enough emails, its lunch
time, and I have a tent install. You should see the view here, a quiet lake,
no sound or so little (Gee I never thought birds where so noisy :-), my
wireless toys, is this paradise? Not when the mosquitoes squadrons, during
their last briefing, identified with you as a target :-)

cheers
Didier PH Martin
----------------------------------------------
Email: martind@netfolder.com
Conferences: XML DevConf2000(http://www.xmldevconf2000)
Book: XML Professional (http://www.wrox.com)
column: Style Matters (http://www.xml.com)
Products: http://www.netfolder.com