[austechwriter] Re: XML - bringing it together
- From: mhalter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2003 22:17:48 +1100
>> Disclaimer - the opinion below is my own, and is not representative of
my employer etc etc....
Hi Andrea, great to hear from you, as we have chatted on this subject off
line in the past.
For those who don't know me on the list, I work for a leading XML/SGML
consulting, software and training firm, as a "sales" guy (ooohhh, a bad
guy..). It's my job to provide XML solutions to companies as a competitive
tool, expand market share or save a business money. The company I work for
provides XML and SGML based document solutions of all sizes to engineers,
legal, education, defence and aviation sectors. My customers are people on
this list, and the people you work for. While I have been a passive
monitor of the list, I felt I had to comment on this thread.
For years I have sat passively on the list, watching as XML has slowly
moved up the topic list. Over the years I have seen XML described as the
"silver bullet" to all documentation problems, to perceived "as complex
piece of junk". My main concern is how XML is perceived in the Techwriter
- Manager/CEO/Owner relationship.
Subsequently, I wanted to shared some key points on the whole XML theme,
from someone who works at all levels of the sector.
a) On employer bashing from earlier posts - I am yet to talk to a CEO that
has said "so my head TW team leader saw me the other day and explained how
a true structured documentation solution can save me XXX hundreds of
thousands of dollars each year, open new markets and give me a competitive
edge. I of cause I threw him/her out of my office" Please....
b) "We are going XML". Yep, and? Changing from Word to XML as a
standard format means little if their is no business benefit. "save as
XML" "save as .Doc" - yawn. XML is only of benefit as an end to end
solution. If the business does not see XML as "money saved", or XML as
"Time to market", or XML as "a competitive advantage", why bother? XML is
"our product to market before yours", it's content to CD and web in four
languages with 5 mouse clicks. And it's time at home with the family, not
working late each night struggling with converting content to various
output formats = happier staff.
c) And finally - This stuff costs money. The first time I went to buy my
first new car (a 1998 red Corolla Seca hatch), the sales guy told me it
cost $16,800 plus on road. I exclaimed "that's expensive", he replied
"no, you just can't afford it. Point taken. In XML authoring tools,
single source data bases and Content management systems, like in life, you
get what you pay for (see point b)
I have lost count of the times I have heard "We want a content management
system, and XML authoring tools. It needs to run on Linux, Windows, Sun,
AIX and HP. It needs to be do complex tables, but be simple to use. We
want it to run in a browser, palm and on Citrix. It needs to hide XML but
be WYSIWYG, and we need to run it out of the box, oh, and it needs to be
freeware, and do revision control and create PDF on the fly, and and
,..". Riiiggghhhtttt....
So, the boss see's XML as just another format, another expense, and is not
keen to invest in the vision. Subsequently we end up with people
downloading what can be complex technologies (CMS and XML tools) without
training (or not having management buy in for training - see point b), and
then branding XML/SGML as hard stuff, and the project runs out of drive.
It should not be this way. I have customers that invested in SGML, then
XML as their authoring standard. These guys and gals can get 9,000 files
for a product from a vendor at Monday 9am and deploy Interactive Manuals,
with illustrated parts information on CD in the afternoon, complete with
37,000 cross references. Do you think they are the CEO's best friend?
Absolutely.
If you do not sell XML as a business advantage, your project will not fly.
You need top down support and commitment, and (most importantly) money on
the table, and not just for the software, for the complete project. If
you can't sell b) to the boss, call a vendor - it's in their interest to
explain b) to them. If your boss is not interested, explain that your
competitor may be getting b) explained to them now.
Cheers,
Mike
"Andrea Tappe" <A.Tappe@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent by: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
12/08/2003 04:14 PM
Please respond to austechwriter
To: "Austechwriter Group (E-mail)"
<austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
cc:
Subject: [austechwriter] XML - bringing it together
Hi there,
Couple of weeks ago, I was told that QSR is moving to XML and could I =
produce XML documents from now on? I'm starting to think that the answer =
may be no. I've done an introductory course (Melb CAE) and ploughed =
through a stack of reading, so I have a fair grasp on how to apply and =
create XML tags, how to link an XML doc to a spreadsheet etc.
Problem is, I just don't know how to go about bringing the whole deal =
together to create online help, paper docco (manuals and marketing) and =
web content, all of which will need to be translated into at least one =
foreign language in the near future. Trying to pre-empt the most obvious =
questions:
* I've searched the Austechwriter archives and checked out all the =
relevant links.
* We are using Microsoft Word - apparently the version in Office 2003 is =
an XML editor. The beta version is an XML editor which doesn't appear to =
accept W3C compliant schemas, and it doesn't ship with any schemas, =
stylesheets etc of its own. Use of Word is not negotiable (I've tried! I =
want XMLSpy!).
Already been through:
* www.w3.org
* Microsoft's XML articles on their website (not MSDN) - I was hoping to =
find something which would tell me whether or not they are W3C compliant =
or not.=20
* www.thescarms.com had some handy tutorials, as did
* http://www.w3schools.com/xml/default.asp
Anyone who has any hints, tips or suggestions - let me know! I'm even =
prepared to consider approaching the boss to hire someone as a =
consultant to help me get started.
Thanks and regards
Andrea Tappe
Technical Writer/Webmaster
QSR International Pty Ltd
613 9840 4939 (ph)
613 9840 1500 (fax)
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