YXML? - What is wrong with PDF?: YXML? - What is wrong with PDF? Tom Worthington FACS Visiting Fellow, Department of Computer Science, Australian National University, Canberra for Open Publish 2001, 31 July 2001, Sydney


Introduction: Introduction Portable Document Format (PDF) commonly used for publishing electronic documents where proprietary word processing and HTML formats are inadequate. However, PDF's origins are as a page description language and it inherent limitations from the printed page metaphor. This presentation looks at the limitations of PDF and if XML can overcome them.


Marking The Schools: Marking The Schools A decade ago electronic printing was an uncomfortable mix of proprietary commands.


G, SG, HT & X - ML: G, SG, HT andamp; X - ML What was needed was a general mark-up language. IBM created Generalised Markup Language (GML). GML was the genesis of the Standard Generalised Mark-up Language (SGML) ISO standard in 1986 Part of the ill fated Government Open Systems Interconnection Profile (GOSIP)


HTML : HTML Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) in 1989 demonstrated that a simple language could be very powerful, when combined with the Internet. But HTML is an inelegant combination of mark-up features


XML: XML The Extensible Markup Language (XML) from the World Wide Web Consortium, attempts to overcome HTML's limitations, but be simpler than SGML. This it almost accomplishes. One example of one use of XML is for XHTML, which provides a more carefully formatted implementation of HTML using the XML syntax.


Some examples of using XML syntax are:: Some examples of using XML syntax are: Resource Description Framework (RDF) Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) Electronic forms for e-commerce Synchronised Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) Open eBook Publication Structure


PDF limitations: PDF limitations Portable Document Format (PDF) commonly used for publishing electronic documents where proprietary word processing and HTML formats are inadequate. However, PDF's origins are as a page description language and it inherent limitations from the printed page metaphor. PDF comes from a publishing model where the document creator decides what the final document will look like.


PDF limitations: PDF limitations However, an electronic document read on screen needs to have the font size, style and screen layout dynamically adjusted to suit the display device and the person reading it. HTML's simple text tags allow for the analysis and conversion of documents, for example the automated translation of web pages into other languages using the AltaVista Babel Fish Translation Service.


PDF is Just One Delivery Format: PDF is Just One Delivery Format PDF should be seen as just one option for delivering documents to readers. Example books: 'Net Traveller' 1996: Web, PDF andamp; PDF for Print 'Universal Service?' 2000-2001: published in the USA from the on-line PDF file, with no paper galley's used.


XML for Common File Formats: XML for Common File Formats Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced it will release the source code of its StarOffice (TM) Suite Combine with XML enabled open source Low cost software generating portable file formats?


Will XML Succeed?: Will XML Succeed? Well meaning groups and companies trying to gain market share could create a Babel of incompatible, overlapping and unimplementable XML standards. Examples of XML standards which need more thought: DTD for Digital Talking Books, Building Construction Extensible Markup Language (bcXML) Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF)


More Information: More Information This presentation is: http://www.tomw.net.au/2000/yxml2.ppt See also: Text for Open Publish 2001, 31 July 2001, Sydney: http://www.tomw.net.au/2000/yxml.rtf Original Web version for the unit Information Technology in Electronic Commerce (COMP3410) at the Australian National University, semester 2, 2000: http://www.tomw.net.au/2000/yxml.html Comments and corrections to: webmaster@tomw.net.au