Saturday, March 15, 2003

M$ and crippled XML? Slashdot ran a thread on Internet World's review of the upcoming Microsoft Office 2003 and its version of XML. Predictably, M$ appears to have their own proprietary version of XML--or is it the DTD?--that seems to forebode incompatability with other systems. So what did you expect? That they would give up on "embrace and extend"? Don't be silly. Meanwhile, Jenny posts about Micro$oft dropping Help 2.0, as reported at WinWriters.  Seems the new help format will be based on DocBook, an XML (and SGML) DTD. Some consternation's been expressed (see Gordon's comments) about the potential for M$ use of DocBook--but there are plenty of companies with customized DTDs based on DocBook. I don't think anyone expects to use DocBook as is--it's pretty darn big, and really provides an example or framework for your own DTD. So M$ wants to use it? So what? You don't have to use their version unless you want to develop with their help system. Gordon, you bet M$ will "embrace and extend" and make their version of DocBook Help proprietary. That's what they do.   6:41:38 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

D'oh! (now spellcheck that!) From the "Didn't we already know this?" Department: Study: spell-check can worsen writing. Of course it can. It certainly doesn't improve the writing of those who can't spell; at best, spellcheck software only catches the dumb little typographical errors we all make and don't catch on our own. Nothing can replace a good editor, or at least a proofreading by a second pair of eyes. And don't get me started on grammar checkers! I actually know a technical writer who refuses to use spellcheck--ever--because he's so perfect he catches all his errors, and corrects them, as he makes them. (Wonder if he can spell "arrogant"?) I once believed I could do that, until I discovered how many typos still slipped by. Now I use spellcheck as a tool--but only one of many. A careful reading is far superior. 4:23:24 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

Handy-dandy list of who's who at SXSW Every year I post an entry containing links to peo .... Every year I post an entry containing links to people I was able to meet at SXSW, this year is no exception... I think I kept better track, but some names may have been missed (let me know if your not on the list)... I tried my best: Adam Greenfield, Adriana de Barros, Alison Headley, Anil Dash, Anitra Pavka, Anne Galloway, Ari Brown, Ben Brown, Ben Trott, Billy Hutchison, Brad Graham, Brenda Janish, Cam Barrett, Carole Guevin, Carrie Bickner, Cory Doctorow, Dan Gillmor, Derek Powazek, Dave Linabury, Doug Bowman, Eric Meyer, Ernie Hsiung, Heather Champ, Heather Hesketh, Hugh Forrest, Ian Lloyd, James McNally, Jeffrey Zeldman, Jesse James Garrett, Jessica Hutchison, Jish Mukerji, Joe Clark, John Halcyon Styn, Joshua Davis, Justin Hall, Kirk Franklin, Lane Becker, Marty Spellerberg, Matt Haughey, Matthew Mullenweg, Mena Trott, Meryl Evans, Michael (AKA Griff), Michael Buffington, Michael Schmidt, Michael Wasylik, Mike Buzzard, Molly Steenson, Nikolai Nolan, Pableaux Johnson, Paul Bausch, Rebecca Blood, Steven Champeon, Tantek Celik, Tim Murtaugh, Todd Dominey, Toke Nygaard ...plus a few thousand other people. [Digital Web Magazine - What's New] 4:13:27 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

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