Re: Use of SGML for documentation (Re: potato -> woody upgrade not smooth...)
On Sat, Jul 07, 2001 at 12:19:58AM -0400, Matt Zimmerman wrote:
> (Followups to debian-sgml, please)
Note that I am not subscribed there, just to debian-devel. CC if necessary.
>
> On Sat, Jul 07, 2001 at 12:04:38AM -0400, mdanish@andrew.cmu.edu wrote:
>
> > Bleh, I knew someone would say this. Whenever I hear SGML or any *ML in
> > which the ML does not stand for Meta-Language, my Buzz-Word alarm goes off.
> > I'm highly suspicious of SGML, and it's relative worth. It's got clunky
> > syntax, and while LaTeX has it's flaws it's a hellalot more powerful.
>
> LaTeX is for preparing documents to be typeset, while SGML is for generalized
> text markup. It's the right tool for the job. Install the debiandoc-sgml
> package, and take a look at the SGML source for (e.g.) the debian-policy
> package.
>
> Turn of your Buzz-Word alarm for a few minutes and give it a chance. Use it to
> generate latex with debiandoc2latex, and printed output via DVI. Use it to
> generate texinfo, HTML and plain text.
>
Okay, I have taken a look at debiandoc, but I have an issue:
What I had been envisioning is some sort of quick-reference chart that you
could print out in one or two pages and put on up your wall :)
I really don't see how debiandoc (or even DocBook, Wichert) fits
into this, it seems to be meant for outputting a nice book format style
document. Is there some sort of "document class", or whatever they call it,
for this?
> For comparison purposes, you may wish to run some of your LaTeX documents
> through latex2html, and perhaps the result through w3m to generate text.
> Marvel at all of the typesetting commands that have been lost.
I have documentation I have written and ran through LaTeX2HTML and I'm
well aware of the inadequacies of HTML.
>
> SGML is for defining document structure, not placing text on a page. I think
> you'll agree that the former is what you want to do with your documentation,
> not the latter.
>
> > And if I want to write data in an easily manipulatable form, I use Lisp.
>
> I refuse to believe that you're advocating writing documentation in LISP.
LISP is a data-representation format.
>
> --
> - mdz
>
>
> --
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;; Matthew Danish email: mdanish@andrew.cmu.edu ;;
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