Structured document formats like DITA, DocBook, and Solbook are characterized by deeply nested tags and a multitude of schema constraints. Unstructured tagging languages like HTML, on the other hand, are wide open. In one meeting, every reason we came up with that made them seem necessary, was answered by a convincing counter argument. "Reuse" would seem to be the most important reason. And maybe there are some compelling cases. But maybe all-out reuse isn't needed. Maybe we really only need a very restricted form that solves those cases.
Archive
Do We Really Need Structured Document Formats?
What does DITA have to do with wiki?
We tackled this question and then some at the January Central Texas DITA User Group meeting. Sides are available on Slideshare here:
http://www.slideshare.net/annegentle/what-does-dita-have-to-do-with-wiki
http://www.slideshare.net/almondjoy/redbooks-wiki-central-texas-dita-ug-presentation
Bob Doyle
New York DITA User Group?
Can we get volunteers to restart the NYDUG?
The single most active content on the DITA.XML.org website is people looking at the now very dated page for DITA Users in New York.
Here are the all-time DITA.XML.org site statistics:
New York DITA Users Group 53210 reads
DITA User Groups 19113 reads
DITA Knowledge Base 15766 reads
Resources 13013 reads
Topic-based authoring 12518 reads
We really should be reaching out to these thousands of potential DITA Users in the New York area!
Bob Doyle
5-minute DITA Tutorial
I have produced a Flash tutorial that explains DITA topics, concept, task, and reference specializations, and DITA maps.
http://www.ditausers.org/training/DITATopics/
I am also working on Flash tutorials that explain the DITA Users website and toolset, including the DITA Manager for each member's workspace folder.
http://www.ditausers.org/training/DITAUsersWelcome/
Critical comments appreciated. This is a work in progress.