> Mailing-List: contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]; run by ezmlm > Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 11:44:43 -0800 > From: Michael Lazzaro <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Determine a schema describing the fields/elements of the documentation, > in order for the docs to be databased & later sliced in a variety of > ways (beginner manual, advanced specs, test cases, etc.) Input and/or > output requirements are, at minimum: > > -- as XML > -- as HTML > -- as manpage (*roff) > -- as PDF > -- as LaTex > -- as POD > -- as executable test cases > > Note that POD consists of formatting directives, not schema information, > and so cannot represent the information in a form sufficient for full > slicing. At this point it would therefore appear that XML is the most > obvious authoring option.
I very much dislike XML for writing. It'd be nice to use some kind of "extended POD" or something. Something that's mostly content, little structure. Formats with a lot of structure tend to be unproductive, and although the structure is useful, much of it is redundant and can be bypassed by a processor that's just a little smarter. Of course, a sensible XML format could still be useful. Very sensible. Luke
