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Technical Brief: XML
XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a specialized extension SGML that is useful for
providing flexible data handling capabilities, including the encoding of legal or
financial information, in a portable manner that permits broad interoperability between
systems, through the use of Document Template Definitions (DTDs) and the more powerful XML Schemas.
Core principles of XML include the concepts of validity and well-formedness. Previous generations
of information processing systems encoded data in binary forms (for example, a Word document),
and made the data opaque to other software and users. By contrast, XML requires a thorough description
of the data to be contained; this transparency permits free access to that information.
Exploiting XML's validity checking features permits tighter, more diligent enforcement of rules
in front end applications, eliminating costs associated with error handling deeper in your systems.
In addition, you can define interfaces using XML, giving different development groups a specification
against which to build and test their systems prior to integration.
SilkSpeed uses XML extensively within its own operations, producing project documentation using such
standards as DocBook, and products like JDOM.
Most of the remote, wireless, and embedded systems we develop use XML as their means of information
exchange. We've embedded XML parsers (even validating parsers) into network gateways, PDAs, and other
remote sensing and control devices.
Using XML has allowed us to inexpensively build fully regression tested systems, avoid the numerous
pitfalls of byte-oriented communications protocols, and easily publish communications specifications
to partners. The results are reduced development time and significantly fewer software defects.
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