[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message]

Re: [SUMMARY #1] Why is there little usage of XML on the 'visi

  • To: <xml-dev@l...>
  • Subject: Re: [SUMMARY #1] Why is there little usage of XML on the 'visible Web'?
  • From: "Costello, Roger L." <costello@m...>
  • Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 06:57:40 -0400
  • Thread-index: AcavD/tWaWCnZ6GXTluSYLAOLagNew==
  • Thread-topic: Re: [SUMMARY #1] Why is there little usage of XML on the 'visible Web'?

Re:  [SUMMARY #1] Why is there little usage of XML on the 'visi

Hi Folks,

 

In my original post I posed this question:

 

Suppose that you are in charge of a Web (you control the funding of all the Web sites).  Would you issue this mandate to all the Web site developers: “All information on the visible Web must be in XML”?  If you would issue this mandate, why?

 

That is, would it be preferable to have a visible Web where web sites serve up documents such as this:

 

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href=""grocery.xsl"?>
<grocery-list>
    <fruit>Orange</fruit>
    <meat>Chicken</meat>
    <vegetable>Corn</vegetable>
</grocery-list>

 

Or, would it be preferable to have a visible Web where web sites serve up documents such as this:

 

<HTML>
    <body>
        <ul>
            <li>Orange</li>
            <li>Chicken</li>
            <li>Corn</li>
        </ul>
    </body>
</HTML>

 

I think that this is a particularly important question, given recent discussions.

 

Here is my initial stab at the pros and cons.

 

An XML/XSLT Based Visible Web

 

Advantages

 

The burden of converting XML data into HTML is offloaded to the clients.  Thus, distributed processing is enhanced.

 

Customized search engines could be created for specific XML vocabularies.  Such customized search engines could perform more targeted search, e.g., a “grocery-list aware search engine” would understand this vocabulary - <grocery-list>, <fruit>, <meat>, <vegetable> and would be able to perform targeted searches on grocery lists.

 

Disadvantages

 

This markup - <grocery-list>, <fruit>, <meat>, <vegetable> has no meaning (semantics) to conventional applications (browsers, PDAs, cellphones, etc) on the visible Web.  Conventional search engines can make no sense of the markup.  Thus, the ability of conventional search engines to index the Web is reduced.  The net result is your ability to find things is reduced.

 

An (X)HTML Based Visible Web

 

Advantages

 

This markup - <ul>, <li> has definite, universally understood meaning (semantics) to a large percentage of applications (browsers, PDAs, cellphones, etc) on the visible Web.  Search engines can make sense of the markup.  Thus, the ability of search engines to index the Web is enhanced.  The net result is your ability to find things is heightened.

 

Disadvantages

 

The burden of converting XML data into HTML is placed on the server.  Thus, distributed processing is reduced.

 

 

What do you think - should the visible Web become more XML/XSLT based?

 

/Roger

 

 


PURCHASE STYLUS STUDIO ONLINE TODAY!

Purchasing Stylus Studio from our online shop is Easy, Secure and Value Priced!

Buy Stylus Studio Now

Download The World's Best XML IDE!

Accelerate XML development with our award-winning XML IDE - Download a free trial today!

Don't miss another message! Subscribe to this list today.
Email
First Name
Last Name
Company
Subscribe in XML format
RSS 2.0
Atom 0.3
 

Stylus Studio has published XML-DEV in RSS and ATOM formats, enabling users to easily subcribe to the list from their preferred news reader application.


Stylus Studio Sponsored Links are added links designed to provide related and additional information to the visitors of this website. they were not included by the author in the initial post. To view the content without the Sponsor Links please click here.

Site Map | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Trademarks
Free Stylus Studio XML Training:
W3C Member
Stylus Studio® and DataDirect XQuery ™are products from DataDirect Technologies, is a registered trademark of Progress Software Corporation, in the U.S. and other countries. © 2004-2013 All Rights Reserved.