Re: XHTML vs HTML

When XHTML 2 is finalized, all current XHTML sites will have to be rebuilt
anyhow.

Not at all. Remember, we're talking about XML here. First, you have a
mandatory DTD, and the browsers can and will be able to use the DTDs.
Second, you have the ability to automatically transform from one format
(such as XHTML 1 to XHTML 2) using XSLT. Try doing that with HTML!

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
..Net Developer
We got a sick zebra a hat,
you ultimate tuna.


"Murray" <forums@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:O%23Fj8pALGHA.2668@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I disagree. XHTML is going to change dramatically in the next several
years. The only advantage to using it now is that you will train yourself
to think about something beyond HTML.

When XHTML 2 is finalized, all current XHTML sites will have to be rebuilt
anyhow.

Whatever - it's up to you. But the marketing company who gave you the
information that HTML doesn't cut it anymore is nuts.

--
Murray
--------------
MVP FrontPage


"Kevin Spencer" <kevin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OQvptcALGHA.3408@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
1- Is there any validity to their statement?

As a general statement, no. If the company has specific plans to
integrate XML/XSLT into their site, then yes, it does, but aside from
that specific need, this marketing company has no clue. HTML4.01 will
continue to be the predominant type of HTML used on the web for many
years yet.

I have to take issue with some of this. While HTML 4.01 will continue to
be the predominant type of HTML *on* the web for many years yet, it will
not be the predominant type of HTML used for new development in a couple
of years.

XHTML has a number of qualities that make it far superior to HTML, and
which will eventually lead to the demise of traditional HTML on the web.

First, it is XML. There are any number of implications that can be drawn
from this simple fact. XML is, by definition, "eXtensible." XHTML is also
eXtensible, which is not exactly the case with HTML. Second, because it
is XML, it is strict. The rules for creating and/or parsing XHTML are and
will continue to be simple. Third, because it is XML, it can easily be
transformed using XSL from and into virtually *any* other data format.
This is a huge plus, as one of the biggest difficulties that many
companies on the Internet face is translating their data from an in-house
format, such as Word documents, database data, text files, etc. XHTML can
be generated automatically from such formats, and transformed into such
formats.

Consider the next generation of Microsoft Office. All Office documents
will be embracing an XML format. See
http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/developers/fileoverview.mspx for
more detailed information. To quote the opening paragraph of this page,
"Distinct from the binary-based file format that has been a mainstay of
past Microsoft Office releases, the new Office XML Formats are compact,
robust file formats that enable better data integration between documents
and back-end systems. An open, royalty-free file format specification
maximizes interoperability in a heterogeneous environment, and enables
any technology provider to integrate Microsoft Office documents into
their solutions."

Microsoft SQL Server has been embracing data in XML format for aseveral
years now, and SQL Server 2005 has much built-in support for XML. Visual
Studio.Net 2005 is set by default to use XHTML for developing ASP.Net 2.0
applications.

And this is not just happening at Microsoft. XML is fully interoperable,
and is being embraced worldwide for all sorts of things. Recently I began
researching the emerging standards for Geospatial information systems, at
the Open Geospatial Consortium web site (http://www.opengeospatial.org/).
GML (Geography Markup Language) is a flavor of XML for describing
geographic data. The W3C (http://www.w3.org/) is constantly adding new
flavors of XML to their list of standards.

So, while it may or may not be necessary for a company to convert their
web site to XHTML, depending upon the current and anticipated
requirements, in some cases it is certainly a good idea. Therefore, there
may indeed be some validity to this marketing form's statement.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
.Net Developer
We got a sick zebra a hat,
you ultimate tuna.


"Murray" <forums@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%234qck2$KGHA.3052@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
1- Is there any validity to their statement?

As a general statement, no. If the company has specific plans to
integrate XML/XSLT into their site, then yes, it does, but aside from
that specific need, this marketing company has no clue. HTML4.01 will
continue to be the predominant type of HTML used on the web for many
years yet.

2- will FrontPage 2003 support XHTML? I don't see it as an option.

Yes, it will.

--
Murray
--------------
MVP FrontPage


"gjb" <webknight2000@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:uI%23dEr$KGHA.344@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have been maintaining a web site for several years now. I am currently
using FrontPage 2003. The company that owns the site hired a marketing
firm who has told my client the site needs to be redesign using XHTML
and HTML no longer cuts it.
So I have 2 questions to the group
1- Is there any validity to their statement?
2- will FrontPage 2003 support XHTML? I don't see it as an option.

Thank you

g









.

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