XML is a variant of SGML, or Standardized markup language. I'm not certain if I'm quite understanding it correctly, but I'll try to explain what I think it does. XML facilitates the transmission of data online. It can use DTD's(document type definitions) to ensure that there are no errors in the document formatting. However, XML does not have to use DTD's. It can assign a kind of default DTD of its own to components of a document that have not been labeled. I'm not really sure what that means at all. Does that mean it just tags it as unlabeled, or does it have the ability to discern to some extent what part of a document something was meant to be? I'm very confused about this. It seems to be saying that XML is not a markup language but that it is a formal language that can break down components of a document into different elements based on certain logical queues. I don't understand how that's different from HTML coding that breaks a document up into headings and paragraphs. It might be that XML is just far more specific and has a wider variety of elements. I think I'm going to be relying a lot on Dr. He's lecture to help me to understand this. I'm really not seeing what the difference between XML and other languages that we've looked at is. The readings seem to be saying that XML helps to link digital documents together and to define them in a more detailed manner but I don't understand how or what it means. I may end up with quite a few Muddy Points after class this Thursday.
Muddy Point: No muddy point from last week. Dr. He did a great job of explaining CSS. Hopefully, XML will make much more sense after this coming week's lecture as well.
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