How Does SGML relate to HTML?

If some of the mark-up above looked a lot like HTML, that's because HTML is SGML.
HTML is actually one set of predefined SGML mark-up: it's a DTD. It simply happens to be such a widely accepted DTD that it is sometimes confused as a language itself. HTML files are collections of information with mark-up describing that information. HTML browsers such as Netscape and Mosaic read the mark-up in HTML files and decide how to display the appropriate information based on that mark-up.
Browsers, though, need not be limited to HTML. Different firms produce many full SGML browsers that can display any DTD (including HTML).

How Do I Start Using SGML?

You'll need the following things to get started with SGML:

Electronic Information
You should have information you want to access in a variety of ways (print, CD-ROM, on the Web) or a need to manage your information efficiently. Compare the following list with your information needs; SGML offers a solution for these situations:
+ I'd like my information to be easily exchanged between different computers and software.
+ Users of my information should be able to select the information they want in very sophisticated ways.
+ I want the same information to be presented in whatever publishing format best suits the needs of the user.
+ My information needs to be long lived: I want to reuse it with many applications, over time and extend its shelf-life. DTDs For each type of document you want to publish or view, you'll need a separate Document Type Definition (DTD) (you won't need a different DTD for separate instances of the same type of document) You can write DTDs yourself, have a consultant write them for you, or use an existing DTD.

SGML Editing Software

Once you've got your information and DTD, you'll want to start creating and editing SGML documents. To do this, you'll need an SGML editor. You may also want to publish your documents on CD-ROM using other software, or you might want to put your documents up on the web.

Please contact us for further information.

E-Mail: info@etd.net