Re: [xml-dev] Is "Hand Authoring" XML still a critical use case ?

[Dave Pawson <davep@dpawson.co.uk>]

On Thu, 9 Dec 2010 12:23:11 -0500
"David Lee" <dlee@calldei.com> wrote:


> Take an example.   Does ANYONE  "Hand Author" Word or PDF
> documents ?   I think not.

I'd disagree there David. The most common text authoring tool perhaps?

Or did you mis-write that? 

> 
> Yet does anyone complain about how hard it is to author Word or PDF
> Documents ?  All I hear from authors is how they DON'T want to author
> XML,
> 
> they want Word.   The actual file format is irrelevant to most
> document authors (except us geeks).

I guess you're missing the obvious benefit of Word authoring?
The author can make it look how he/she wants? That's meaningful
to many authors. 


> 
>  
> 
> The user experience in the application is what authors see.
> 
>  
> 
> So I ask, "Is Hand Authoring XML an important design criteria?" . 
> 
> I suggestion "No", but rather "Availability of good Authoring Tools"
> is what's critical.

too subtle for me :-) Emacs is my 'good authoring tool'. 
But I class that along with word as an authoring tool?



-- 

regards 

-- 
Dave Pawson
XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
http://www.dpawson.co.uk