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XML and Java


XML

The XML is another markup language (Extensible Markup Language), but it is concerned not with how text is displayed but rather how information is organized. Content in XML is organized by the assignment of tags. Information coded with XML tags can be remixed and repurposed in a variety of formats. XML is the magic behind a number of the cool Web applications that we use everyday, including RSS.

XML is also behind many of the programs used by technical writers, as it is useful in reorganizing content to fit into a variety of deliverable formats. Many of the tools we will mention are XML based.

DITA

DITA stands for Darwin Information Typing Architecture. It is not a language, but an architecture, as the name indicates. DITA is a set of rules for structuring XML in a way that maximizes its potential for reuse. While DITA has been around for years, it is only beginning to come into wide use, and there are a limited number of commercial software tools that use it. Many predict that it will become a standard architecture for managing technical content. It may provide a platform for the concept of single-sourcing, and then every technical writer's dream of writing content once and then publishing it to any format that is needed, will become a reality.

XHTML

XHTML is a version of HTML which is compatible with XML. It is likely that sometime in the near future, XHTML will become the standard markup language for all Web content. It is not a drastically different language than HTML, but rather more of an evolutionary step on the same ladder.

Java

Unlike the markup languages mentioned above, Java is a programming language used for writing programs that run in a web browser. Whenever you click a play button or click on a drop-down menu on the Web, chances are it is Java running in the background. There are other programming languages that can do similar things, such as Ruby on Rails, an open source programming language for writing Web applications.


As a technical writer, do you need to know markup languages and code? Not necessarily. As we've said, most writers use GUI (graphical user interface) programs to create content, and these create the code automatically. On the other hand, there are some companies where technical writers work directly in native XML.


Since the GUI tools are highly priced, a low budget startup company, especially one on the cutting edge of technology, may require its users to work in native markup languages. Even if this is not the case, though, it is very useful to know what is going on with a web page when you look under the hood. It can often be useful to make small changes to web content at the source code level, instead of using whatever web design tool your company uses. As a result, a working knowledge of HTML and CSS, and an understanding of how XML works will serve any technical writer well.


The average technical writer will not be expected to program Java or other web application languages. Generally, companies that need programming will have specialists who can do it. But as a member of a team that is likely to be creating online content, the well rounded technical writer should have a good understanding of what Java and other Web scripts are and what they can do, especially if your company's product is web based, such as a Google or an eBay.

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