(Message sgml:13) Return-Path: robin%txsil%texbell.uucp@cs.utexas.edu Received: from cs.utexas.edu by urania.math.lsa.umich.edu (4.1/umix-1.1) id AA20159; Sat, 14 Jul 90 14:04:11 EDT Posted-Date: Sat, 14 Jul 90 12:13:32 CDT Received: from texbell.UUCP by cs.utexas.edu (5.64/1.68) id AA25354; Sat, 14 Jul 90 13:04:03 -0500 Received: by texbell.sbc.com (Smail3.1.18) id ; Sat, 14 Jul 90 12:45 CDT From: robin@txsil.lonestar.org (Robin Cover) X-Mailer: SCO System V Mail (version 3.2) To: texbell!cs.utexas.edu!math.lsa.umich.edu!emv Subject: SGML Orientation Date: Sat, 14 Jul 90 12:13:32 CDT Message-Id: <9007141713.aa29373@txsil.lonestar.org> I think this is too long to be posted to comp.text (14K), but you are welcome to send it along to SGML-inquirers if it will help get them off your back. I can't promise that I will send it to everyone who asks the innocent question "what is SGML?" on this forum, though I might try for a while. It would be better it this could be placed in some ftp-able place where it could be snarfed by anyone interested enough to bother. But -- not all have ftp. Suggestions welcome. I could write a full "SGML - Frequently asked questions," but I am not up to it right now. robin ============ Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML): A Brief Bibliography Since the SGML Standard (ISO 8879) is long and highly technical, reading in secondary sources about SGML is recommended as a beginning. The following resources constitute an essential reading list and beginning SGML library. The three articles by Coombs/Renear/DeRose, Barron and DeRose/Durand/Mylonas/Renear provide excellent overviews of SGML: what SGML is and why SGML is an important formalization for descriptive markup. Eric van Herwijnen's book Practical SGML supplies a graded introduction to using the Standard. Martin Bryan's SGML: An Author's Guide... is a detailed and highly useful manual, to be supplemented by the thorough commentary in Charles Goldfarb's (forthcoming, 90/07/14) SGML Handbook. Joan Smith has written extensively on SGML, and her SGML: User's Guide... provides a much-needed index for the ISO Standard. Three serial publications dedicated to SGML are also listed with contact points: GCA's The SGML Newsletter; SGML Users' Group Newsletter and SGML Users' Group Bulletin. The Text Encoding Initiative's Guidelines for the Encoding and Interchange... (eds. Michael Sperberg McQueen/Lou Burnard) and the EPSIG/AAP Standard for Electronic Manuscript... are illustrations of two kinds of SGML implementations. The article of Jos Warmer/Sylvia van Egmond is a more technical treatment showing how SGML-structured documents are parsed in conjunction with their associated document-type definitions (DTD's). From these documents, it will be clear that SGML is not a tagset, nor a formatting language, but a metalanguage for describing declarative/descriptive markup languages (see also the abstract to Coombs/Renear/DeRose, printed below). A much more extensive bibliography on SGML and Structured Documents (over 100 pages) has been printed as a technical report by Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. This database also contains sections on SGML supporting agencies, institutions and SGML software vendors. Contact Robin Cover (Internet: robin@txsil.lonestar.org) or Nick Duncan (Internet: duncan@qucis.queensu.ca) for availability of the bibliography in printed and electronic (SGML) format; the electronic version will be placed on a public file server, but probably not until August/September 1990. New bibliographic references and other SGML information for this database are welcome: please send citations (published or unpublished materials: technical reports, working papers, internal memoranda, articles, product announcements, product reviews) to Robin Cover via electronic or postal mail at the addresses given following this bibliography. =========================== Barron, David. "Why Use SGML?" Electronic Publishing 2/1 (April 1989) 3-24. [CODEN: EPODEU; ISSN 0894-3982] [Abstract: The Standard Generalised Markup Language (SGML) is a recently-adopted International Standard (ISO 8879). The paper presents some background material on markup systems, gives a brief account of SGML, and attempts to clarify the precise nature and purpose of SGML, which are widely misunderstood. It then goes on to explore the reasons why SGML should (or should not) be used in preference to older-established systems. A summary of the article is also printed in "Why Use SGML," SGML Users' Group Newsletter 13 (August 1989) 10.] Bryan, Martin. SGML. An Author's Guide to the Standard Generalized Markup Language. Wokingham/Reading/New York: Addison-Wesley, 1988. [ISBN 0-201-17535-5 (pbk); LC CALL NO.: QA76.73.S44 B79 1988. 380 pages. A highly useful manual explaining and illustrating features of ISO 8879]. Coombs, James; Renear, Allen; DeRose, Steven . "Markup Systems and the Future of Scholarly Text Processing." CACM 30/11 (1987) 933-947. [ISSN: 0001-0782; cf. CACM 31/7 (July 1988) 810-11)] [Abstract: The authors argue that many word processing systems distract authors from their tasks of research and composition, toward concern with typographic and other tasks. Emphasis on "WYSIWYG", while helpful for display, has ignored a more fundamental concern: representing document structure. Four main types of markup are analyzed: Punctuational (spaces, punctuation,...), presentational (layout, font choice,...), procedural (formatting commands), and descriptive (mnemonic labels for document elements). Only some ancient manuscripts have no markup. Any form of markup can be formatted for display, but descriptive markup is privileged because it reflects the underlying structure. ISO SGML is a descriptive markup standard, but most benefits are available even before a standard is widely accepted. A descriptively marked-up document is not tied to formatting or printing capabilities. It is maintainable, for the typographic realization of any type of element can be changed in a single operation, with guaranteed consistency. It can be understood even with no markup formatting software: compare "
" to ".sk 3 a; .in +10 -10; .ls 0; .cp 2". It is relatively portable across views, applications and systems. Descriptive markup also minimizes cognitive demands: the author need only recall (or recognize in a menu) a mnemonic for the desired element, rather than also deciding how it is currently to appear, and recalling how to obtain that appearance. Most of this extra work is thrown away before final copy; descriptive markup allows authors to focus on authorship. (abstract supplied by Steve DeRose)] Cover, Robin; Duncan, Nicholas; Barnard, David. "A Bibliography on Structured Text." Technical Report, 1990. This is the preliminary print version of a bibliographic and information database (compiled by Robin Cover), structured in SGML-database and formatted with SGML ->> BibTeX utilities developed at Queen's University by Nick Duncan and David Barnard. Contact: Department of Computing and Information Science; Queen's University; Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6; Tel: (613) 545-6056. DeRose, Steven J.; Durand, David G.; Mylonas, Elli; Renear, Allen H. "What is Text, Really?" Journal of Computing in Higher Education 1/2 (Winter 1990) 3-26. [ISSN: 1042-1726. Abstract: "The way in which text is represented on a computer affects the kinds of uses to which it can be put by its creator and by subsequent users. The electronic document model currently in use is impoverished and restrictive. The authors agree that text is best represented as an ordered hierarchy of content object[s] (OHCO), because that is what text really is. This model conforms with emerging standards such as SGML and contains within it advantages for the writer, publisher, and researcher. The authors then describe how the hierarchical model can allow future use and reuse of the document as a database, hypertext or network."] Goldfarb, Charles F. The SGML Handbook. Oxford: Oxford University Press. June/July, 1990. [ISBN: 0198537379. Announced as a "monumental 560-page work" by IBM Senior Systems Analyst and acknowledged "father of SGML." The book constitutes an annotated, cross-referenced and indexed copy of the ISO 8879 Standard and Amendment 1, with annotations, tutorials and reference material. See "News. New Goldfarb Book About SGML," EPSIG News 3/1 (March 1990) 4 and further details in (GCA's) TECHInfo (July 1990) 1.] Guidelines for the Encoding and Interchange of Machine Readable Texts, eds. C. Michael Sperberg-McQueen and Lou Burnard. TEI-P1, Version 1.0 [ca 300 pages, ca July/August 1990.] This volume represents the results of work in Phase I of the International Text Encoding Initiative, sponsored by ACH/ACL/ALLC and several advisory associations. The publication describes and illustrates mechanisms (some experimental) for SGML markup of many kinds of documents, especially for humanities fields (literary and linguistic study). Contact the editors: in the US, Michael Sperberg-McQueen; BITNET: U35395@UICVM; Computer Center (M/C 135); University of Illinois at Chicago; Box 6998; Chicago, IL 60680; Tel: (312) 996-2981; in the UK, Lou Burnard; JANET: ; Oxford University Computing Service; 13 Banbury Road; Oxford OX2 6NN; Tel: (44) 865-273238. Herwijnen, Eric van. Practical SGML. [Dordrecht/Hingham, MA: Wolters Kluwer Academic Publishers. 200 pages. ISBN: 0-7923 0635-X. The book is designed as a "practical SGML survival-kit for SGML users (especially authors) rather than developers," and itself constitutes an experiment in SGML publishing."] ISO 8879: Information Processing -- Text and Office Systems -- Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML). International Organization for Standardization. Ref. No. ISO 8879-1986 (E). Geneva/New York, 1986. [A one-page tech note on the ISO (as a FIPS document, FIPS-PUB-152) provides the following abstract (see "Publishing Standard Allows for the Transfer of Documents from Author to Publisher" [NTIS Tech Note, 081914000; National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD; May 1989].) Abstract: This citation summarizes a one-page announcement of technology available for utilization. A Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) recently approved by the Secretary of Commerce should help federal agencies improve their communications with publishing organizations. (FIPS are developed by NIST for use by the federal government.) The new standard, called Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), provides a common way for defining markup languages so documents can be transferred from author to publisher in a standardized format. By providing a coherent and unambiguous syntax for describing the elements within a document, SGML makes it easier to move unformatted textual data among different installations and processing systems. Developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) with assistance from NIST, the SGML standard is already being used by the Computer-Aided Acquisition and Logistics Support (CALS) program of the Department of Defense to develop a military specification. NIST is providing technical support for the CALS program. In addition, NIST has developed the first set of conformance tests for SGML; ISO and ANSI are considering using these tests for their own test suites. For possible addenda and changes to 8879, see "Recomendations for a Possible Revision of ISO 8879. ISO/IEC JTC1/SC18/WG8 N931 [Part I]," 12 (December 1989) 6-8 and "Recomendations for a Possible Revision of ISO 8879. Part II. ISO/IEC JTC1/SC18/WG8 N931," 13 (February 1990) 12-15.] : The SGML Newsletter This dedicated SGML publication is one of several forms of support given to SGML by the Graphic Communications Association; GCA sponsors other publications, SGML seminars, workshops and SGML events. Contact: Graphic Communications Association; 1730 North Lynn Street, Suite 604; Arlington, VA 22209-2085; Tel: (703) 841-8160; Telex: 510-600-0889; Fax: (703) 841-8171. SGML Users' Group Newsletter and SGML Users' Group Bulletin. Both are serial publications sponsored by the International SGML Users' Group, founded in 1984 by Joan Smith. Contact: Mr. Stephen G. Downie; SGML Users' Group, Secretary; c/o SoftQuad Inc.; 720 Spadina Avenue; Toronto, Ontario; CANADA M5S 2T9; Tel: 1-416-963-8337. Smith, Joan M.; Stutely, Robert S. SGML: The Users' Guide to ISO 8879. Chichester/New York: Ellis Horwood/Halsted, 1988. [ISBN 0-7458-0221-4 (Ellis Horwood) and 0-470-21126-1 (Halsted)]; LC CALL NO.: QA76.73.S44 S44 1988] [Overview of the book may be found in the SGML Users' Group Newsletter 9 (August 1988) 9.] Standard for Electronic Manuscript Preparation and Markup. (ANSI/NISO Z39.59-1988. Version 2. EPSIG/American Association of Publishers, August, 1987. [This document developed over several years as the "AAP Standard," it is now designated by EPSIG/AAP as "the Electronic Manuscript Standard" or simply as the "Standard." It is SGML-conforming, and provides a suggested tagset for authors and publishers. The document has been recommended for "fast track" ISO approval by working group 6 (TC 46/SC 4/WG 6).] EPSIG (Electronic Publication Special Interest Group) also publishes the newsletter EPSIG News in support of its manuscript standard, and generally in support of SGML. Contact: EPSIG; Ms. Betsy Kiser; c/o OCLC, Mail Code 278; 6565 Frantz Road; Dublin, OH 43017-0702; Tel: (614) 764-6195; Fax: (614) 764-6096.] Warmer, Jos; van Egmond, Sylvia. "The Implementation of the Amsterdam SGML Parser." Electronic Publishing: Origination, Dissemination and Design (EPOdd) 2/2 (July 1989) 3-28. [ISSN: 0894-3982. Abstract: The Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) is an ISO Standard that specifies a language for document representation. This paper gives a short introduction to SGML and describes the (Vrije Universiteit) Amsterdam SGML Parser and the problems we encountered in implementing the Standard. These problems include the interpretation of the Standard in places where it is ambiguous and the technical problems in parsing SGML documents.] Robin Cover DTS - Semitics & OT 3909 Swiss Avenue Dallas, TX 75204 (214) 296-1783/841-3657 BITNET: zrcc1001@smuvm1 INTERNET: robin@txsil.lonestar.org UUCP: texbell!txsil.robin