xml-dev - Re: XML Editor recommendation?

[James Robertson <jamesr@steptwo.com.au>]

At 08:19 23/11/2000, Marcus Carr wrote:

>Simon North wrote:
>
> > 1. Let your users continue to use MS Word, but push / persuade /
> > coerce / train them into using styles in a structured and disciplined
> > manner.
>
>Upon completion, you will join the elite club of those who are qualified to
>juggle four angry, hissing cats.
>
> > 2. Convert the structured MS Word documents (via RTF) into XML
> > ... there are a few really excellent conversion packages around.
>
>True, but in ten years, I think I've only seen three decent implemetations
>using this sort of approach. Usually humans tend to get in the way of an
>otherwise elegant system...

I agree with Marcus 100% here.

I've never seen a really working implementation that
uses Word as the editor.

Word is simply too loose: by design, it encourages
(or even forces) the user to move away from structured
use of paragraph styles.

(And yes, like Marcus, I've done plenty of real-world
conversions of RTF->XML, and it's not a pretty or
fun process.)

Garbage in, garbage out.
It's as simple as that.

J

-------------------------
James Robertson
Step Two Designs Pty Ltd
SGML, XML & HTML Consultancy
Illumination: an out-of-the-box Intranet solution

http://www.steptwo.com.au/
jamesr@steptwo.com.au