| Whether you're discussing e-commerce,
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| | finite collection of tags, XML allows
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| knowledge management, or the Internet in
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| | users to create their own to meet their
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| general, you've likely seen or heard
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| | own requirements (thus the
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| reference to eXtensible Markup Language
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| | eXtensibility).
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| (XML). XML is, without a doubt, one of
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| | I've made several references to tags,
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| the most heralded technologies to come
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| | elements, and attributes. These are the
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| across the wire in recent years (pun
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| | core building blocks of an XML document.
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| intended). What is XML? Why is it
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| | Consider the following HTML fragment. It
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| creating such a deluge of interest? What
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| | should be painfully familiar to anyone
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| should you know about XML, and perhaps
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| | who's ever looked at an HTML document and
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| more importantly, why should you even
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| | will prove useful in understanding XML
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| care about it? In this article, I will
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| | syntax.
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| provide a high-level description of what
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| | Here is the first group of text< d>
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| XML is (and what it's not), discuss the
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| | Here is the second group of text< d>
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| key components of an XML document, and
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| | < r>
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| provide a compelling argument for why
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| | < able>
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| it's well worth your while to learn more
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| | This document contains a table element ("
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| about XML.
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| | ") with a table row element ("
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| To understand XML, it's helpful to
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| | "). The table row element, in turn
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| compare and contrast it with another
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| | contains two table cell elements (" ").
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| technology with which a great many of us
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| | Each of these elements has both an
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| are familiar - HyperText Markup Language
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| | opening tag ("
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| (HTML).
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| | ") and a closing tag ("< able>"). While
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| If you've used or read about HTML, you
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| | this is fairly straightforward, it also
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| know that it was created so that users
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| | is somewhat inflexible. What if, for
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| could format and display information on
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| | example, I need to create a document that
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| the Web. HTML uses a fixed and finite set
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| | describes my company's employee roster
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| of tags, elements, and attributes that
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| | for the Annual InfoStrat softball
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| allow it to communicate to a user's
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| | tournament? With XML, it's as easy as
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| browser how that browser should display
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| | replacing the element and attribute names
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| the document. We see HTML everywhere, and
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| | from the previous HTML document with my
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| it has for some time served as the lingua
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| | own custom tags that describe my company
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| franca for displaying information on the
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| | and its employees. Here is what such a
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| Web. It is a proven technology that well
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| | document might look like:
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| serves its purpose in most scenarios.
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| |
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| What if, however, the current version of
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| | Hank Aaron
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| HTML doesn't allow me to do something
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| | Babe Ruth
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| that I want to do? I have two choices: I
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| | With this XML document, I have defined my
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| can either write my own browser that
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| | company and two of its employees and have
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| understands my tags (bad idea) or I can
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| | described the relationship between
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| put my project on hold for a year or so
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| | company (parent) and employees
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| and hope that the next version of HTML
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| | (children). I have shown that my company
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| includes the functionality that I need
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| | has two employees, but I easily could add
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| (even worse idea). Try selling either of
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| | new employee elements to reflect new
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| these options to your boss or client and
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| | hires that we bring on to ensure that we
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| see if you still have a job by the time
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| | don't lose this year's tournament:
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| you end your discussion. So concludes our
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| | Mickey Mantle
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| one-paragraph, in-depth investigation of
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| | Ty Cobb
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| HTML.
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| | After creating my XML document, I can
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| Now, if I may lapse into my days of
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| | display its contents in my format of
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| standardized test taking, HTML is to
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| | choice. The same XML document could
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| displaying information as XML is to
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| | easily be displayed as HTML, a Microsoft
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| defining information. They both are
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| | Word document, an Adobe .pdf file, or
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| text-based, and they both consist of
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| | even as text in the body of an e-mail
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| tags, elements, and attributes. Unlike
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| | message. As long as the XML document is
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| HTML, however, XML allows users to
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| | well formed (meaning that it follows the
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| structure and define the information in
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| | appropriate XML format and syntax), you
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| their documents. While technically it is
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| | can choose your method of preference (or
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| a markup language (it allows you to use
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| | necessity) for displaying its content.
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| tags to "mark-up" the contents of your
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| | Let's dissect the pieces of my company
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| document), it more appropriately is a
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| | roster XML document to see each piece's
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| meta-language. By meta-language, I mean
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| | role and responsibility.
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| that it allows users to create their own
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| | Header:
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| collection of tags, elements, and
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| | The header tells the document's user that
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| attributes as needed and in so doing to
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| | this is an XML document - using version
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| accurately describe the physical contents
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| | 1.0 of the XML specification in this
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| of a document. Unlike HTML with its
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| | case.
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