XML in the Wilderness Joe Gollner Vice President Stilo International

Patron Saint of Content Management Saint Jerome - Caravaggio (1605) Saint Jerome (347 – 420 AD) Patron Saint of Libraries, Librarians, Archivists and Encyclopaedists St Jerome in his Study - Antonello da Messina (1460)

XML in the Wilderness A Little Background A Brief History of Content Technologies What about Content? Pointing towards the Hypertext Horizon St Jerome in the Wilderness Albrecht Dürer (1495)

A Little Background

A Brief History of Content Technologies

What about Content?

Pointing towards the Hypertext Horizon

Markup and the Curious World of Content 1705 Inter-Textuality Reference | Reuse | Republish | Ridicule Jonathan Swift John Dunton

A Brief History of Content Technologies Where did content technologies come from? What lessons can we take from this history? Does it help us see XML differently? Does this shed light on how we might create and share content in the future?

Where did content technologies come from?

What lessons can we take from this history?

Does it help us see XML differently?

Does this shed light on how we might create and share content in the future?

In the Beginning … were table(t)s… … and books…

… were table(t)s…

Memex Adapting to the Exponential Growth in Knowledge Resources 1940 1960 1980 2000

Some “Provocative” Definitions Data Data is the meaningful representation of experience Information Information is the meaningful organization of data communicated in a specific context with the purpose of informing others Knowledge Knowledge is the meaningful organization of information, expressing an evolving understanding of a subject and establishing a basis for judgment and the potential for action. Content What is “contained” and “communicated” Accommodates Data , Information , and Knowledge

Data

Data is the meaningful representation of experience

Information

Information is the meaningful organization of data communicated in a specific context with the purpose of informing others

Knowledge

Knowledge is the meaningful organization of information, expressing an evolving understanding of a subject and establishing a basis for judgment and the potential for action.

Content

What is “contained” and “communicated”

Accommodates Data , Information , and Knowledge

The Knowledge Dynamic The persistence of content is what has allowed this dynamic to accelerate at an exponential rate

Knowledge Application with Technology Leveraging Knowledge through Automation The modern organization cannot survive without automation as a means to encapsulate & leverage knowledge 1940 1960 1980 2000

Augmenting Human Intelligence Leveraging Automation to Assist Personal and Team Productivity Douglas Engelbart Workstation - 1966 Workstation - 1968 1940 1960 1980 2000

The Internet Connecting Organizations to form Knowledge Enterprises Enterprise: bold, imaginative undertaking enabled by the sharing of knowledge 1940 1960 1980 2000

The Vision of Hyper- Text Envisioning content forms that reflect how people think and collaborate Theodor (Ted) Holm Nelson 1940 1960 1980 2000

Proprietary Content Formats Limiting the Interchangeability and Usefulness of all data types

CALS – Tackling the Interchange Problem GOAL Supplier and Client STDS INTERIM SOLUTION Supplier Client Supplier PROBLEM Client 1940 1960 1980 2000

Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) 1940 1960 1980 2000

SGML SGML Reflected human communication patterns Provided substantial flexibility Automated processing was “difficult” Adopted in documentation-intensive sectors Military, Aerospace and Commercial Publishing The Key Innovation of SGML: naming something ( understanding ) is different than describing what should be done with it ( behaviour ) naming something is the important part naming something and defining its behaviour benefits from sophistication Charles Goldfarb The Father of SGML

SGML

Reflected human communication patterns

Provided substantial flexibility

Automated processing was “difficult”

Adopted in documentation-intensive sectors

Military, Aerospace and Commercial Publishing

The Key Innovation of SGML:

naming something ( understanding ) is different than describing what should be done with it ( behaviour )

naming something is the important part

naming something and defining its behaviour benefits from sophistication

The World Wide Web 1940 1960 1980 2000 Where there’s a Will there’s a Way

World Wide Web – The Success of Simplicity Original Objective (1989) “ to allow information sharing within internationally dispersed teams” HTML: a simple use of a complex standard The Key Innovation of the Web: deciding what to do ( intention ) is different than determining how it should be done ( execution ) deciding what to do is the important part communicating an intention and successfully executing it benefits from simplicity Sir Tim Berners-Lee The Father of the Web

Original Objective (1989)

“ to allow information sharing within internationally dispersed teams”

HTML: a simple use of a complex standard

The Key Innovation of the Web:

deciding what to do ( intention ) is different than determining how it should be done ( execution )

deciding what to do is the important part

communicating an intention and successfully executing it benefits from simplicity

Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1940 1960 1980 2000 Source: Microsoft

The Key Innovations of XML The Key Innovations of XML: Fusing the innovations of SGML and the Web naming something ( understanding ) is different than describing what should be done with it ( behaviour ) deciding what to do ( intention ) is different than determining how it should be done ( execution ) XML exhibits an unresolved tension between Sophistication to meet the needs of application integration Simplicity to meet the needs of people interacting with technology Yuri Rubinsky The Spiritual Father of XML

The Key Innovations of XML:

Fusing the innovations of SGML and the Web

naming something ( understanding ) is different than describing what should be done with it ( behaviour )

deciding what to do ( intention ) is different than determining how it should be done ( execution )

XML exhibits an unresolved tension between

Sophistication

to meet the needs of application integration

Simplicity

to meet the needs of people interacting with technology

XML The driving focus for XML has been facilitating a revolution in the way technology applications are designed, developed and deployed This addressed the failure of preceding approaches to adapt to genuinely open systems This focus explains a great deal about the character of XML

The driving focus for XML has been facilitating a revolution in the way technology applications are designed, developed and deployed

This addressed the failure of preceding approaches to adapt to genuinely open systems

This focus explains a great deal about the character of XML

Web 2.0 – The Social Web 1940 1960 1980 2000 2010 The second revolution in web adoption Emergent consequence of integration

Web 2.0 – All About Engagement Web 2.0 has been called “The Participatory Web” Key technical elements include: AJAX – Asynchronous JavaScript and XML simple syndication protocols – RSS / ATOM simplified web services – Aggregator APIs Folksonomies – collaborative tagging Processable content – XHTML / CSS / Microformats Addressable, traceable, dynamic, collaborative content – wiki / blog Much closer to the original idea behind the ‘web’ The centrality of XML in making this possible is often missed

Web 2.0 has been called “The Participatory Web”

Key technical elements include:

AJAX – Asynchronous JavaScript and XML

simple syndication protocols – RSS / ATOM

simplified web services – Aggregator APIs

Folksonomies – collaborative tagging

Processable content – XHTML / CSS / Microformats

Addressable, traceable, dynamic, collaborative content – wiki / blog

Much closer to the original idea behind the ‘web’

The centrality of XML in making this possible is often missed

What About Content?

What XML has meant for Content Authors Authoring in XML exhibits two contradictory challenges Too much markup Gets in the way of creating content Forces a reliance on unfamiliar tools Adds a level of technical complexity to what is a creative task Not enough markup Some content demands precision Authors need clear guidance and useful feedback in order to satisfy this demand As more content is delivered to applications, this is more common

Authoring in XML exhibits two contradictory challenges

Too much markup

Gets in the way of creating content

Forces a reliance on unfamiliar tools

Adds a level of technical complexity to what is a creative task

Not enough markup

Some content demands precision

Authors need clear guidance and useful feedback in order to satisfy this demand

As more content is delivered to applications, this is more common

What XML has meant for Information Architects Information Modeling Syntax stabilization (restriction) Vocabulary definition constraints Models mirror communication patterns less naturally Sought simplicity & processability New language for declaring rules XML Schema (data constraints) Implementation Specific constraints on markup use Encourages instance verbosity Many complexities reintroduced Application challenges remained

Information Modeling

Syntax stabilization (restriction)

Vocabulary definition constraints

Models mirror communication patterns less naturally

Sought simplicity & processability

New language for declaring rules

XML Schema (data constraints)

Implementation

Specific constraints on markup use

Encourages instance verbosity

Many complexities reintroduced

Application challenges remained

What XML has meant for Publishers Authoring with Structured Markup Multi-Format Automatic Publishing XML

What XML has really meant for Publishers Continuous Collaboration Persistent Multi-Channel Interaction XML

Content Happens What is the nature of content really ? Is it just the physical trace of an expression? Is it always new and original? No - Not really Or does content mix what previously existed with something new? Yes – More Likely Maybe content is fundamentally synthetic (an aggregate or composite) accumulates over time and evolves continuously through use is far from static and follows a path that is not predictable Maybe content is more of a process than a product?

What is the nature of content really ?

Is it just the physical trace of an expression?

Is it always new and original?

No - Not really

Or does content mix what previously existed with something new?

Yes – More Likely

Maybe content

is fundamentally synthetic (an aggregate or composite)

accumulates over time and evolves continuously through use

is far from static and follows a path that is not predictable

Maybe content is more of a process than a product?

Embedded Markup Considered Harmful (1997) Ted Nelson Has been a vocal critic of structured markup Sees it as an impediment & an intrusion Primary Objections to Embedded Markup Complicates editing & change tracking Impedes transpublishing Reuse must be unimpeded Reuse often introduces changes Enforces unnatural & constraining structures on communication What is needed would accommodate: The “anarchic and overlapping relations” “ deep version management” the “vast interconnectedness of ideas” ... Hypertext Theodor (Ted) Holm Nelson

Ted Nelson

Has been a vocal critic of structured markup

Sees it as an impediment & an intrusion

Primary Objections to Embedded Markup

Complicates editing & change tracking

Impedes transpublishing

Reuse must be unimpeded

Reuse often introduces changes

Enforces unnatural & constraining structures on communication

What is needed would accommodate:

The “anarchic and overlapping relations”

“ deep version management”

the “vast interconnectedness of ideas” ... Hypertext

Something on the Hypertext Horizon Online Access Wireless Access Topics Print Manuals PDF Customers Call Centre Staff Maps Products Repositories Sources Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) Emerging out of the relatively mundane world of software and hardware documentation. An assemblage of “SGML Dirty Tricks”…

The Tao of DITA: Handling Variability & Change Introduces and continues to evolve a framework for handling content and its challenges more gracefully. Application layers are given a chance .

DITA enables an interesting mix of practices Promotes simplified markup for most content Allows specialization to be introduced When more detailed markup guidelines help authors When precise markup is essential for downstream applications Is introducing more sophisticated reuse behaviour

Promotes simplified markup for most content

Allows specialization to be introduced

When more detailed markup guidelines help authors

When precise markup is essential for downstream applications

Is introducing more sophisticated reuse behaviour

The Emergence of Content Technologies The initial focus of XML has not been on content DITA represents a serious effort to direct attention towards the challenges of content The appearance of Web 2.0 is a sign that the infrastructure is maturing in its content handling Simplified interfaces Dynamic version management Instant global interaction Hypertext is becoming possible

The initial focus of XML has not been on content

DITA represents a serious effort to direct attention towards the challenges of content

The appearance of Web 2.0 is a sign that the infrastructure is maturing in its content handling

Simplified interfaces

Dynamic version management

Instant global interaction

Hypertext is becoming possible

XML Returns from the Wilderness Saint Jerome Headed into isolation in the Syrian Desert Learned Hebrew Was able to create a new Latin translation of the bible (Vulgate) Established the standard reference XML The fruits of success in application integration are being seen (Web 2.0) DITA shows promise Addressing key content challenges Leveraging more of the SGML legacy Creating industry momentum St Jerome in his Study Albrecht Dürer (1492)

Saint Jerome

Headed into isolation in the Syrian Desert

Learned Hebrew

Was able to create a new Latin translation of the bible (Vulgate)

Established the standard reference

XML

The fruits of success in application integration are being seen (Web 2.0)

DITA shows promise

Addressing key content challenges

Leveraging more of the SGML legacy

Creating industry momentum

Conclusion We can start to handle & leverage content in its true hypertext form -- for the first time Joe Gollner VP e-Publishing Solutions Stilo International [email_address]