by Bethany McKay, Freelance Writer –
XML is a large part of the publishing industry, but what exactly is XML?
Extensible Markup Language, or XML, is a computing language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human- and machine-readable.
The goals of XML are simplicity, generality, and usability across the Internet. It is much like HTML, designed to store and transport data and be self-descriptive. Although it focuses on documents, the language is widely used for other web services. However, whereas HTML was created to display data, XML was created to carry data, especially for word-based documents. XML is also extendable, meaning that you can create your own tags and attributes that make sense to you and fits your content.
How can XML benefit publishers? XML is a way to maximize the content from an author. XML can be used as a method to create documents of similar content, which are structured and consistently handled.
XML is an international data standard and is 100% portable and completely compatible with Java™. Any application that processes XML can be used with your content.
Of course, a big part of the industry now is the e-book division. This is a technical side of publishing, and XML can help with that. Many publishing companies have switched over to HTML 5; however, if you want to be in this for the long haul, XML is a good choice, according to Pradeep Jain, president of Ictect.
Anna von Veh, a consultant at Say Books, asks these questions: “Do publishers want to ensure that their content is searchable and reusable for a variety of formats, in a variety of ways, for a variety of devices and even for devices that haven’t yet been invented? Do they want to be able to deliver customized content to customers?”
If you think your content can benefit from XML, it is time to learn more.
She goes on to say in an article: “While the format-centered model that most publishers are familiar with produces beautiful products, it is not one that is likely to flourish in the new world of digital publishing. Digital requires a much more rapid, flexible and agile response. Using XML, though, doesn’t mean that design or creativity is dead. The hope is that it will help automate work that is being done manually over and over again, and allow publishers the freedom to focus on great ideas and creative use of their content.”
If you think your content could be served by this markup language, contact Progressive Publishing Services by emailing info@pps-ace.com. The digital aspect of our lives has become increasingly more important each passing year and this path might be the best way to reach your audience.