The SGML/XML Web Page does not present any particular problems in its use nor does it require special expertise that the average web browser does not already possess. For those unfamiliar with the acronym, SGML stands for Standard Generalized Markup Language of which HTML, the language which supports the internet, forms a subset. Where HTML is used for electronic communication and possesses a fixed set of codes and parameters, SGML provides a syntactic structure that can be used to describe the intellectual content of almost anything in almost any fashion, depending upon the intent and skill of the users.
The introduction to the site states its intended purpose as endeavoring “to provide an industry‐neutral repository of information that can serve as a pre‐competitive basis for SGML development and support ‐‐ commercial and non‐commercial”. To that end, the site contains a reference collection of over 2000 documents that includes an annotated and linked bibliography for SGML with over 1600 bibliographic entries and a news column entitled What’s New which provides daily and/or weekly updates on SGML resources and industry initiatives. The SGML/XML Web Page also provides online SGML tutorials and introductions; description of SGML user groups and industry consortia; case studies on the use of SGML within industry, government, and academic sectors; detailed SGML conference and seminar listings; categorized descriptions of SGML software; contact information for SGML software developers and service providers; technical reference materials for SGML implementors and programmers; answers to some SGML ’frequently‐asked‐questions’; and information on standards related to SGML.
The SGML/XML Web Page’s search engine permits Boolean operations, nesting, and final truncation for all 2000 documents. The search engine description states that although precise phrase searches are not supported, they may be approximated by using a space between search terms to force implicit “AND’ logic and by using proximity ranking of the terms contained within the query. These rankings are case insensitive and based on the word count and proximity of the terms to each other. The Query Tips section explains more about customizing one’s searches by using these techniques within parentheses‐bound queries to fine‐tune a search.
This web‐site contains abundant documentation so far as online help is concerned. It does not include printed help although it does provide the names and addresses where additional information could be obtained. Because of the extent of its online help and because it sees itself as a repository for such information, the SGML/XML Web Page does not provide toll‐free help or serve as a real‐time problem solver.
The SGML/XML Web Site is a well‐maintained, up‐to‐the‐minute, no‐nonsense (i.e. no graphics) web page that contains what seems to be most of the current information available on this topic. While one can find here basic SGML information along with a great deal more, this web site aims toward the already converted, or those who have decided that SGML is right for them, such as those businesses whose product line requires a great deal of continuously updated information and documentation. For the uninitiated, the site contains several seminal historical documents in the field to provide context and general background. The archival portion of the What’s New section underscores the immediacy of information on SGML in grouping by year of all the relevant information released previous to 1996/97 ‐ in this case, 1995.
The site serves as an excellent reference tool for academic libraries with well‐maintained and current links to some 90 projects or applications in the field, such as the TEI (Text Encoding Initiative) Home Page, the University of Virginia Library’s home page and Rutger’s Center for Electronic Texts in the Humanities. It provides links to a lesser number of government and industry initiatives in this area as well. The only drawback in both instances is that entries are bulleted rather than organized numerically or alphabetically to facilitate browsing. The extensive bibliography lists book and journal articles alphabetically by author along with news and popular articles devoted to the topic. It also includes a “Rumored Works” section that contains references to books on SGML currently under consideration for publication or currently in production.
Those who have already decided that SGML will work for them can explore and sample a variety of SGML browsing, editing, parsing, and formatting software tools at this site. They also can consult the list of the latest standards to insure that their endeavors conform with the latest guidelines in the field. And when they tire of creating their own syntactical database, they can consult twenty or more unmaintained sites devoted to a variety of topics, such as the Home Pages/Directories of the Rich and Famous.
All in all, the SGML/XML web site offers a worthy reference tool for dilettantes and working professionals in academia, government or industry. I recommend it.
