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The first benefit of
XML
is that because you are writing your own markup
language, you are not restricted to a limited set of
tags defined by proprietary vendors.
Rather than waiting for standards bodies to adopt tag set
enhancements (a process which can take quite some time), or for
browser companies to adopt each other's standards (yeah right!),
with XML, you can create your own set of tags at your own pace.
Of course, not only are you free to develop at your own pace,
but you are free to develop tools that meet your needs exactly.
By defining your own tags, you create the markup language
in terms of your specific problem set! Rather than relying
on a generic set of tags which suits everyone's needs
adequately, XML allows every person/organization to build
their own tag library which suits their needs perfectly.
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"From the earliest days of the Web, we've been using
essentially the same set of tags in our documents....
There's a significant benefit to a fixed tag set with
fixed semantics: portability. However,
HTML
is very confining. Web designers want more control over
presentation. Enter XML" -
Norman Walsh
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That is, though the majority of web designers do not need tags to
format musical notation, medical formula, or architectural
specifications, musicians, doctors and architects might.
XML allows each specific industry to develop its own tag
sets to meet its unique needs without forcing everyone's
browser to incorporate the functionality of zillions of
tag sets, and without forcing the developers to settle
for a generic tag set that is too generic to be useful.
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Check out these customized XML-based languages:
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