What is XML?

XML is the Extensible Markup Language. It improves the functionality of the Web by letting you identify your information in a more accurate, flexible, and adaptable way.

It is extensible because it is not a fixed format like HTML (which is a single, predefined markup language). Instead, XML is actually a metalanguage—a language for describing other languages—which lets you design your own markup languages for limitless different types of documents. XML can do this because it’s written in SGML, the international standard metalanguage for text document markup (ISO 8879).

There are two current versions of XML. The first, XML 1.0 has undergone minor revisions since then, without being given a new version number, and is currently in its fourth edition, as published on August 16, 2006. It is widely implemented and still recommended for general use. The second, XML 1.1, was initially published on February 4, 2004, the same day as XML 1.0 Third Edition, and is currently in its second edition, as published on August 16, 2006. It contains features that are intended to make XML easier to use in certain cases- mainly enabling the use of line-ending characters used on EBCDIC platforms, and the use of scripts and characters absent from Unicode 2.0. XML 1.1 is not very widely implemented and is recommended for use only by those who need its unique features.

XML 1.0 and XML 1.1 differ in the requirements of characters used for element and attribute names: XML 1.0 only allows characters which are defined in Unicode 2.0, which includes most world scripts, but excludes those which were added in later Unicode versions. Among the excluded scripts are Mongolian, Cambodian, Amharic, Burmese, and others.

Almost any Unicode character can be used in the character data and attribute values of an XML 1.1 document, even if the character is not defined, aside from having a code point, in the current version of Unicode. The approach in XML 1.1 is that only certain characters are forbidden, and everything else is allowed, whereas in XML 1.0, only certain characters are explicitly allowed, thus XML 1.0 cannot accommodate the addition of characters in future versions of Unicode.

In character data and attribute values, XML 1.1 allows the use of more control characters than XML 1.0, but, for “robustness”, most of the control characters introduced in XML 1.1 must be expressed as numeric character references. Among the supported control characters in XML 1.1 are two line break codes that must be treated as whitespace. Whitespace characters are the only control codes that can be written directly.

There are also discussions on an XML 2.0, although it remains to be seen[vague] if such will ever come about. XML-SW (SW for skunk works), written by one of the original developers of XML, contains some proposals for what an XML 2.0 might look like: elimination of DTDs from syntax, integration of namespaces, XML Base and XML Information Set (infoset) into the base standard.

The World Wide Web Consortium also has an XML Binary Characterization Working Group doing preliminary research into use cases and properties for a binary encoding of the XML infoset. The working group is not chartered to produce any official standards. Since XML is by definition text-based, ITU-T and ISO are using the name Fast Infoset[3] for their own binary infoset to avoid confusion (see ITU-T Rec. X.891 | ISO/IEC 24824-1).

·SOURCES:

·http://xml.silmaril.ie/
·Wikipedia “XML Languaje”

Lenguaje XML

XML, sigla en inglés de Extended Markup Language («lenguaje de marcas extensible»), es un metalenguaje extensible de etiquetas desarrollado por el World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Es una simplificación y adaptación del SGML y permite definir la gramática de lenguajes específicos. Se puede usar en bases de datos, editores de texto, hojas de cálculo y casi cualquier cosa imaginable.

Su desarrollo se comenzó en 1996 y la primera versión salió a la luz el 10 de febrero de 1998. La primera definición que apareció fue: Sistema para definir validar y compartir formatos de documentos en la web. Durante el año 1998 XML tuvo un crecimiento exponencial, con apariciones en medios de comunicación, menciones en páginas web, soporte software, etc

Características generales.

• Directamente utilizable en Internet
• Soporte para una amplia variedad de aplicaciones para transferencia de datos
• Compatible con SGML
• Posibilidad de crear sencillos procesadores de XML
• Documentos XML legibles y medianamente claros (depende de la definición)
• Diseño rápido del lenguaje
• Simple, pero perfectamente formalizado
• Documentos XML fáciles de crear

Es importante mencionar, por último, las ventajas que ha supuesto la creación del XML:

• Es extensible, lo que quiere decir que una vez diseñado un lenguaje y puesto en producción, igual es posible extenderlo con la adición de nuevas etiquetas de manera de que los antiguos consumidores de la vieja versión todavía puedan entender el nuevo formato.
• El analizador es un componente estándar, no es necesario crear un analizador específico para cada lenguaje. Esto posibilita el empleo de uno de los tantos disponibles. De esta manera se evitan bugs y se acelera el desarrollo de la aplicación.
• Si un tercero decide usar un documento creado en XML, es sencillo entender su estructura y procesarlo. Mejora la compatibilidad entre aplicaciones

Las consecuencias inmediatas del sistema que tratamos son la aparición de la Web 2.0, o el desarrollo de sistema como por ejemplo el TEI.

Fuentes

• Wikipedia.La enciclopedia libre. Fecha de consulta: 11-01-2008. http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/XML

• Geocities.Fecha de consulta: 13-01-2008. http://es.geocities.com/guia_de_xml/historia.html

(Artículo de foro)

Orality, writing and hypermedia

The orality is a form of communication.

There are two kinds of orality:

• Primary: refers to the cultures that only have to communicate and that allows the activation of memory. The oral cultures have a set of skills, habits, traditions, representations, meanings and symbolisms allowing discover.
• Secondary:This has become a media memory.
  

In the oral tradition, the relationship between the textand the receiver is direct. The text oral collect sounds from specific instances that operate as a system of abstract units, the phonemes.

The writing system is a graphical representation of a language through signs taped or drawn on a stand. It is a method of human communication that takes place through visual signs that constitute a system. A writing system can be complete or incomplete.

 The first writing techniques were back in 4000 BC. The invention of writing corresponds to a passage from prehistory in a transition of thousands of years.
The writing has evolved over time. Essentially it has been in two ways:expressing ideas and representing sounds. 

First we must define the concept of “media” (average in English) and then hypertext.

 Well, “media” is the most basic technology of communication and storage of information, including human languages such as music, painting and cinema.

Hypertext is a term used for the first time in years 60’s and is considered a subset of hypermedia and this in turn multimedia [Woodhead, 1991], is used to indicate the connections between documents and textual nature are hypermedia referring to the connection between the documents of various types of media [Dale, 1997].

The text, graphics, audio and video can now be living in a unified manner, responding to the new requirements we have with the different ways of expressing information [Nelson, 1987].

 Sources:

• http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipermedios”

• http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oralidad”

• http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escritura“

   

  

Oralidad, escritura e hipermedios

La oralidad es una forma comunicativa que va desde el grito de un recién nacido hasta el diálogo generado entre amigos. Existen dos clases de oralidad: La primaria, que se refiere a las culturas que sólo la poseen a ella para comunicarse y que permite una activación de la memoria. Y la oralidad secundaria, ésta es la que manejan culturas avanzadas que poseen escritura, y se ha convertido en soporte de la memoria. Es de gran interés el estudio de la oralidad efectuado por Walter J. Ong, “Algunas psicodinámicas de la oralidad”, en W. J. Ong [1982], Orality and Literacy. The technologizing of the Word. Así como las palabras de E. A. Havelock [1986], La musa aprende a escribir. Reflexiones sobre oralidad y escritura desde la Antigüedad hasta el presente.

La escritura es un sistema de representación gráfica de una lengua, por medio de signos grabados o dibujados sobre un soporte. Es un método de intercomunicación humana que se realiza por medio de signos visuales que constituyen un sistema. La escritura ha evolucionado a través del tiempo. Fundamentalmente ha sido de dos maneras:

Ideográficamente: cuando se expresan las ideas.
Fonéticamente: cuando se representan los sonidos.

En cuanto a los hipermedios, primero debemos definir el concepto de “medios” (media en inglés) y después el de “hipertexto”. Pues bien, “media” es la más básica tecnología de comunicación y almacenamiento de información, incluye a los lenguajes humanos como la música, la pintura y el cine. Hipertexto es un término usado para indicar las conexiones entre los documentos de naturaleza textual e hipermedios se refiere a la conexión entre los documentos de diversos tipos de medios [Dale, 1997]. El texto, los gráficos, el audio y el video pueden ahora estar en vivo de forma unificada, respondiendo a las nuevas necesidades que tenemos con las diferentes formas de expresar la información [Nelson, 1987].

REFERENCIAS:

Oralidad. Wikipedia. La enciclopedia libre. Fecha de consulta: 2-12-2007 http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oralidad
Escritura. Wikipedia. La enciclopedia libre. Fecha de consulta: 2-12-2007 http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escritura_%28ling%C3%BC%C3%ADstica%29
Hipermedia. Wikipedia. La enciclopedia libre. Fecha de consulta: 3-12-2007 http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipermedios
Obras de Ong y Havelock. Revista de estudios literarios de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Autora:Ana Calvo Revilla. Fecha de redacción:1999. Fecha de consulta: 5-12-2007 http://www.ucm.es/info/especulo/numero13/zumthor.html

(Artículo de foro)

Characteristics of “Web 2.0″

Web 2.0 websites allow users to do more than just retrieve information. They can build on the interactive facilities of “Web 1.0″ to provide “Network as platform” computing, allowing users to run software-applications entirely through a browser. Users can own the data on a Web 2.0 site and exercise control over that data.These sites may have an “Architecture of participation” that encourages users to add value to the application as they use it.This stands in contrast to very old traditional websites, the sort which limited visitors to viewing and whose content only the site’s owner could modify. Web 2.0 sites often feature a rich, user-friendly interface based on Ajax,Flex or similar rich media. The sites may also have social-networking aspects.
The concept of Web-as-participation-platform captures many of these characteristics. Bart Decrem, a founder and former CEO of Flock, calls Web 2.0 the “participatory Web” and regards the Web-as-information-source as Web 1.0.
The impossibility of excluding group-members who don’t contribute to the provision of goods from sharing profits gives rise to the possibility that rational members will prefer to withhold their contribution of effort and free-ride on the contribution of others.

Sources:
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2

The Origin of The Web 2.0

The Web 2.0 is the representation of the evolution from traditional applications to Web applications focused on the final user. The Web 2.0 is an attitude and not just a technology.

The Web 2.0 is the transition that has occurred from traditional applications to applications that operate with the website focused on the final user. These are applications that generate collaboration and service to replace desktop applications.

This is a stage that has defined new projects on the Internet and is concerned about providing better solutions for the final user. Many people claim that we have reinvented what was the Internet, others speak of bubbles and investment, but the reality is that the natural evolution of the medium really has proposed things more interesting as we look at daily notes or current links that collect while we are exploring .

To understand where comes the term Web 2.0, we must go back to the time when Dale Dougherty of O’Reilly Media used this term in a conference that shared a brainstorming alongside Craig Cline of MediaLive. In the event there was talk of revival and development of the Web
Constantly emerging new applications and sites with striking features. And that was the pattern for the Web 2.0 conference that began in 2004 and now takes place annually in San Francisco, with additional events using the trademark in other countries.

Sources:
http://www.maestrosdelweb.com/editorial/web2/

The Benefits and Advantages of Ebooks

 Ebooks present many benefits and advantages, and this article shows some of them.

It is very simple and easy to purchase and download ebooks through the Internet. It is exactly like purchasing any other product. The only difference is that after payment you will either be directed to a download page or receive the download link in an email. All you have to do is click on the link and the ebook will automatically download to your computer, to a folder of your own choice.

After download you don’t have to be connected to the Internet in order to read the ebook. You can stay offline. If you wish to have it printed, it is very easy. Just click on the print button in the ebook, to print it with your home printer.

So  the benefits  of ebooks are:

1. Ebooks are delivered almost instantaneously. You can purchase, download and start reading them within minutes, without leaving your chair.

2. When you need certain information, you can get it immediately, by downloading an ebook.

3. Many ebooks are sold nowadays with bonuses, which you usually do not get with a printed book. This adds value to your purchase.

4. Ebooks take up less space. You practically don’t need any space to store them. You don’t need a library or a room for them. You can store hundreds and thousands of ebooks in your computer.

5. With today technology you can read ebooks anywhere, on the bus, train, airplane and while standing in line.

6. Ebooks can show links, for easy access to more information and related websites.

7. Ebooks are searchable. You can easily search for any information in an ebook, instead of turning page after page.

8. Ebooks can be printable, so that if you wish to read an ebook in the traditional way, you can very inexpensively print it with your home printer or at any printing shop.

9. Ebooks are very easy to to sell and distribute.

10. It is very simple and easy to purchase and download an ebook. People living in big modernized cities, in a remote village in a far away country or on a small island, can equally access an ebook. It takes them the same amount of time to purchase and download an ebook, provided they have an Internet connection.

Nowadays one can find ebooks about every possible subject, fiction and nonfiction, free and not free.

Considering non-fiction ebooks, such ebooks disseminate knowledge not pages, which means that it is not correct to evaluate the price of an ebook according to the number of its pages. The price should be determined by the information it contains, its usefulness and relevancy, and on how much it gives you in terms of practical knowledge, inspiration, motivation, tips and advice, and also by the uniqueness of the information it contains.

Source:http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_benefits.htm

Why Would You Want an E-Book?

An eBook is an electronic book, one you read digitally on your computer, laptop screen or on devices called ebook readers.

You will find them in various formats and until the industry has a standard accessible in all devices these various formats will exist.
PDF format is a popular format for ebooks. All platforms are able to gain access and read PDF formatting.   PDF requires the Acrobat Reader but this software comes on many new computers and if not included, it’s a free downloaded from Adobe http://www.adobe.com. There are still many who prefer printing out the pages of an ebook to read and PDF files have always been good for this purpose.

But, why would you want an ebook? As you discover this new industry with your surfing over the Internet, you will discover ePublishers and eBookstores gradually growing in numbers. Take a look at what they offer and what they have to say about their authors and titles. Thousands upon thousands of authors write books yearly. Of those, a small percentage have the good fortune of being accepted by a publisher. This is not because they don’t make the grade, but because of the vast numbers.

The Internet is a wide open medium. Excellent, talented authors can take their books to the Net, market/promote and sell those books themselves. Others are coming to the growing epublishing houses and taking that route. It is guaranteed as you journey through the epublishing world, you are going to find outstanding, spell-binding, and top-class works, which are well worth the read.

So, why would you want an ebook? To experience a new wave of the future, to discover new and exciting authors and their stories/subjects, to embrace what lies around the next corner and be a part of its unfolding. Source:http://www.atlanticbridge.net/publishing/otherresources/whatis.htm

An electronic book

An e-book is a text stored in a digital way which can be copied and read in a PC, or in a recent portable devices for eBooks. These books can be read by programs which are called readers.There are basically two steps to build an eBook: prepare the content for conversation, and choose a tool for conversation to Microsoft Reader. All conversation tools require that you have a clean HTML file and marked a sane with the standards defined by the Open eBook Foundation. For more details on these standards visit the Web Open eBook. You can create an eBook in a short space of time (2 or 3 hours) if they have prepared all the necessary parts. Among the items needed include images JPEGs for Home and the Library, as well as other elements that may need eBook. To get more information on the elements of an eBook see Guides Source Materials and Source Materials Conversion Guide and Conversion Guide available for downloading from the same site and included in Content SDK.

To read eBooks in a PC or poket PC, we have to use a reader program. Nowadays there are two readers available: Microsoft Reader and Glassbook Reader. These programs let us adjust the typography, turn on the pages, use pointers, insert notes, bring texts out , and many other functions necessaries for readding. The books are downloaded from Internet, or can be generated by ourselves. Glassbook read files on PDF; and Microsoft Reader, files on .LIT or Reader which fulfil with OEB rules. These last take up less space than PDF ones. Microsoft give us free machines to turn Word files into Reader, and ReaderWorks company offers machines to turn HTML into Reader. These tools makes very easy turn on Word or HTML files on eBooks.

Sources

->Microsoft Reader

http://www.microsoft.com/reader

->Clarín Digital. Suplemento de Informática

http://www.clarin.com.ar/suplementos/informatica/

->eBookNet.com

http://www.ebooknet.com/

->Librería Barnes & Noble

http://ebooks.barnesandnoble.com

->Open eBook Forum

http://www.openebook.org

->Electronic Book Exchange (EBX) Working Group

http://www.ebxwg.org/

(Articulo del foro)

English Filology:What is after that?

When people asked  me:” What degree are you going to do when you finish the Baccalaureate? ” My answer was the following one: “I believe that I am decided by the English Philology “and the reaction was the same one in all the people:”Are you sure? That degree has very few exits and with your notes you can do another degree”

Most people think that to be successful in your life you must study a degree, as Law, Medicine, or Engineering, that could give you a lot of opportunities in the labor circle.

But the reality is very different.The best thing that you can do is to study only you want, because if you are preparing during 5 years(or more) in the university for something that you haven´t any interest, you must think that you are going to be all your life supporting that situation.

So taking into account all that I have mention before, when I finished my Baccalaureate studies I questioned to myself:What I am going to study? The answer was very easy for me because since I was a child i had an special interest in languages, specifically in English, in which I was really good.

Besides that, I think that in today’s society it´s really important to know more than one language, so now, when I am in my first year of English Philology, I am very glad about my choice because apart from study English, teachers give you the opportunity of study other languages as French, German, Basque… and to combine them with new technologies.

So, in my view and as conclusion I have to say that you have to do only what you need and not what others tell you to do.