RE: [xml-dev] Wikipedia on XML

["Len Bullard" <cbullard@hiwaay.net>]

The point about the target audience is well taken. 

Is XML extensible?  Any XML language is and the set of XML languages is.

In my experience, the target audience understands toolkit explanations. Is
XML a toolkit for making languages?

len

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Kay [mailto:mike@saxonica.com] 
Sent: Saturday, August 08, 2009 9:25 PM
To: Tim.Bray@Sun.COM
Cc: 'Michael Ludwig'; 'XML Developers List'
Subject: RE: [xml-dev] Wikipedia on XML

> How's this: The Extensible Markup Language (XML) 
> specification defines the syntax rules for a family of markup 
> languages loosely referred to as "XML", as well as a system 
> for declaring the selection and ordering of the markup 
> elements which may appear in a particular markup language 
> which is a member of the family.
> 
> I think that's accurate but it feels kind of long and klunky. 

I think it fails to communicate with the target audience. It's written for
language lawyers and xml-dev members, not for people who look at Wikipedia
to find out what XML is.