Re: [xml-dev] Word XML

[Uche Ogbuji <uche.ogbuji@fourthought.com>]

> [Please trim all replies to this overlong message. Also, please remember
> these are the product of beta code and very definitely subject to
> change, though happily it's a public beta.]
> 
> The raw XML of this document doesn't give much of a feel for the user
> interface of Word 2003 or for its custom XML capabilities, but it does
> give a clear picture of the information Word 2003 provides, complete
> with a small bit of custom vocabulary usage.

[SNIP]

> If I save the document with all the WordML, I get a much more verbose
> version, which follows.  Note in particular the ns0:document and
> ns0:hilite elements.
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
> <?mso-application progid="Word.Document"?>

[BEEEEG SNEEP]

This is just atrocious.  For a comparison, see the OpenOffice.org format, 
which, while still a bit quirky, is perfectly readable, and available fodder 
for simple tools:

http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-think15/

Also worth noting that on the OO XML format TC, we're hoping to stanrdardize a 
format that is good markup, and also suits the needs of WP software developers.

http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/office/


-- 
Uche Ogbuji                                    Fourthought, Inc.
http://uche.ogbuji.net    http://4Suite.org    http://fourthought.com
Universal Business Language (UBL) - http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/l
ibrary/x-think16.html
EXSLT by example - http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/library/x-exslt.html
The worry about program wizards - http://www.adtmag.com/article.asp?id=7238
Use rdf:about and rdf:ID effectively in RDF/XML - http://www-106.ibm.com/develo
perworks/xml/library/x-tiprdfai.html
Keep context straight in XSLT - http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/libra
ry/x-tipcurrent.html
Python Generators + DOM - http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2003/01/08/py-xml.html
Using SAX for Proper XML Output - http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2003/03/12/py-xml.ht
ml
SAX filters for flexible processing - http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/xml
/library/x-tipsaxflex.html