Microsoft to standardize Office formats

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"Just text"

Isn't XML just XML? I mean, the XML standard is just using text with tags (like HTML). As long as you use ONLY text, how do you make it proprietary?

First, the main difference between HTML and XML is that with XML you can define your own tags. Obviously, if you invent a RojerRamjet tag and don't tell anyone what it does, your XML isn't much use to them.

Secondly, XML can be used as a container format: you have a Base64 binary field which (for instance) is defined to be an MSOffice .DOC file. MSXML could, then, be nothing but a container wrapped around the old binaries. Perfectly valid XML, totally useless for interoperability.

Posted by: Yagotta B. Kidding   Posted on: 11/22/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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