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What is XML: A practical introduction for EPA Webmasters

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Title: What is XML: A practical introduction for EPA Webmasters


1
What is XML?A practical introduction for EPA
Webmasters
  • Presentation to the
  • EPA Web Working Group Meeting
  • July 24-26, 2001, Denver, Colorado
  • by Brand Niemann
  • Office of Environmental Information, U.S. EPA

2
The Big Picture
The Big Picture
The Semantic Web
XML
Structured Data Information
Categories, Metadata, Databases
Integrated Web Pages
Titles Metatags
Personal Web Pages
Content Networks
Web Pages
Portals
3
XML is a Disruptive Technology
  • Repurpose or republish content.
  • Breaks down information silos/stovepipes.
  • Challenges traditional centralization and
    security practices.
  • Improves upon a simple topics view of
    categorization (as content grows in size and
    diversity, need multiple topics and more topics).
  • Queries produce new content.
  • Etc.

4
Overview
  • Key Questions
  • 1. Is it a programming language like Java or
    something in plain text that is read and acted
    upon by a browser?
  • 2. What browsers can handle it and how prevalent
    are they?
  • 3. What are some EPA problems and applications?
  • 4. Is it as easy to learn as HTML?
  • 5. Are there helpful tools like for HTML?
  • 6. How soon will it be prevalent?
  • 7. Who do I contact for more information?
  • 8. What would be a killer application for EPA?

5
Key Question 1
  • Is it a programming language like Java or
    something in plain text that is read and acted
    upon by a browser?
  • Simple answer Plain text on purpose.
  • More complete answer eXtensible Markup Language
    (XML) is an incredibly powerful system for
    managing information. Use it with many other
    technologies (Java, ASP-Active Server Pages,
    etc.) HTML defines how elements are displayed
    XML defines what those elements contain.

6
Background
  • 1991 Tim Berners-Lee designed the WWW (Weaving
    the Web, HarperBusiness, 2000, paperback)
  • 1993 Marc Andreesen created Mosaic and Netscape
    Web browser
  • 1996 XML proposed by the W3C
  • 2001 About 2 billion Web pages (mostly HTML)
  • HTML(HyperText Markup Language) A simple, but
    elegant way of formatting data with special tags
    in a text file that can be viewed on virtually
    any computer platform.
  • XML(eXtensible Markup Language) Based on the
    same parent as HTML (SGML) designed to better
    handle the task of managing information.
  • HTML lets everyone do some things and XML lets
    some people do practically anything.
  • World Wide Web Consortium
  • Standard Generalized Markup Language

7
Demonstration
  • The Problem with HTML laxhtml.html
  • Browsers have to work twice as hard to display
    HTML content properly.
  • The Power of XML tiger_rhinos.xml
  • Use XML to design your own custom markup language
    and then you use that language to format your
    documents. Your application will contain tags
    that actually describe the data that they
    contain. XML is not nearly as lenient as HTML.
    XML is probably not for personal Web pages, but
    for its power to manage information on a grand
    scale.

8
Key Question 2
  • What browsers can handle it and how prevalent are
    they?
  • Simple answer Internet Explorer 5.5 and W3Cs
    Amaya (also an editor). Netscape 6 (Mozilla)?
  • More complete answer Use XML to manage data now
    and convert it to HTML on the server-side for Web
    browsers that lack XML support. Client-side
    technology is lagging, but the new SVG is an
    important step forward in Web user interface
    technology. (See http//maps.map.net/start)
  • Scalable Vector Graphics nearly a stable W3C
    Recommendation.

9
Background
  • World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
  • Created in 1994 to lead the WWW to its full
    potential by developing common protocols that
    promote its evolution and ensure its
    interoperability.
  • More than 500 organizations worldwide participate
    in this forum for information, commerce,
    communication, and collective understanding.
  • http//www.w3.org/
  • XML is the universal format for structured
    documents and data on the Web and became a W3C
    Recommendation in February 1998.

10
Demonstration
11
Demonstration
12
Key Question 3
  • What are some EPA problems and applications?
  • Simple answer XML technology and Peer-to-Peer
    (P2P) architecture will make practically
    everything we do better, faster, and cheaper
    (XML A Managers Guide, Addison-Wesley
    Information Technology Series, 2000).
  • More complete answer It is being used or
    planned for use in Web database delivery, data
    exchange and integration, electronic records
    management, public access content management, and
    distributed content integration. The EPA XML
    Technical Advisory Group has a database of
    projects and applications in Lotus Notes.
  • Charted by OEI management in July 2000.

13
Selected Examples
  • Web database delivery OSWER's Chemical Emergency
    Preparedness and Prevention Office Local
    Emergency Planning Committee Database (LEPC),
    http//www.epa.gov/ceppo/lepclist.htm
  • Data exchange and integration Integrated
    Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Canadian XML
    Version, http//sis.agr.gc.ca/pls/itisca/taxaget?p
    _ifx
  • Public access content management and distributed
    content integration EPA Node on a Federal
    Government Content Network, http//www.sdi.gov/ser
    ver.htm

14
Background
15
Demonstration
16
Six Databases Need 30 Filters
Oracle
Postgress
Sybase
mySQL
Informix
Access
17
Six Databases and An XML Hub Only Need 12 Filters
Oracle
Postgress
Sybase
mySQL
XML Hub
Informix
Access
18
XML for InterchangeBetween Applications
Database
GIS
Spreadsheet
XML Repository
XML
OLAP Data Warehouse
3D Visualization
19
Demonstration
20
Demonstration
21
Background
  • Folders can contains files, databases, and Web
    resources.
  • Folders can/should be on different Web servers,
    but look and function as though they are on the
    same Web server.
  • This is accomplished by two new XML-based
    standards that send lean XML messages between the
    Web servers
  • Content Network Protocol (CNP)
  • eXtensible Indexing Language (XIL)
  • Distributed folders and nodes can be managed both
    centrally and locally by the Content Network
    Manager and the Manage Content Administration
    Tools.

22
Demonstration
23
Demonstration
24
Demonstration
25
Key Question 4
  • Is it as easy to learn as HTML?
  • Simple answer No, but there are resources that
    make learning it like HTML. See XML for the World
    Wide Web Visual QuickStart Guide, Elizabeth
    Castrow, Peachpit Press, http//www.cookwood.com/x
    ml/index.html
  • More complete answer I recommend training for
    all managers and for hands-on workers because
  • If you think XML is just for techies, or arent
    sure what it is, youre already behind the curve.
  • XML is the new standard for exchanging data
    electronically.
  • XML is a better way of organizing Web content.
  • XML will help you do a lot of things faster,
    better, and cheaper.
  • Source XML A Managers Guide Book Foreword by
    Dr. David A. Taylor.

26
Background
  • About This Book
  • A single XML file and a sequential set of XSLT
    files, in which each one builds on the previous
    one.
  • See file header and red highlighting.
  • Download sample files and even print them out.
  • If adapting for own use, keep in mind your
    audience and their browsers.
  • Need some familiarity with HTML, but not coding
    or programming experience.
  • Not an exhaustive guide to XML, but only a
    beginners guides for creating Web pages, not
    applications or using platforms (covered in other
    parts of my GPO class!)
  • The XML VQS Web Site
  • http//www.cookwood.com/xml/
  • Introduction to eXtensible Markup Language (XML)
    for the World Wide Web (WWW) Class Web Site
  • http//cdserver.er.usgs.gov/gpoxml.htm

27
Demonstration
28
Demonstration
29
Demonstration
http//www.conferencenetwork.com/conference_detail
s.cfm?conference_id6 195 single user (free to
attendees).
30
Key Question 5
  • Are there helpful tools like for HTML?
  • Simple answer Yes, and they continue to
    improve.
  • More complete answer - XML-Journal Readers'
    Choice Awards (the Oscar's of the Software
    Industry), http//www.sys-con.com/xml/readerschoi
    ce/index.html
  • XMLSpy 3.0 won 6 of the 13 award categories!
    http//www.xmlspy.com/

31
Background
  • Tools range from (1) any text editor or word
    processor, (2) specialized, and/or (3) several
    mainstream programs with conversion filters (e.g.
    Office 2000 with caveats).
  • XML is family of files
  • XML, XSL, HTML, DTD/Schemas, Entities
  • XMLSPY is an integrated development environment
    for working with the XML family of files and
    provides a graphical XML Schema editor and XML
    Repository Interface.

32
Demonstrations
33
Demonstrations
34
Key Question 6
  • How soon will it be prevalent?
  • Simple answer It is becoming prevalent outside
    the agency now because of the Federal CIO XML
    Working Group and will become so at EPA because
    of the CDX and NEIEN projects.
  • More complete answer See The State of XML Why
    Individuals Matter, XML.COM, http//www.xml.com/p
    ub/a/2001/05/30/stateofxml.html
  • Many existing technologies are being
    re-engineered to take advantage of XML, gaining
    interoperability benefits previously too costly
    to realize (called the attack of the angle
    brackets).
  • Industries are finding that XML vocabularies can
    form a basis for collaboration and cost-cutting.
  • XMLs influence is proving disruptive to the
    technological status quo.
  • Central Data Exchange
  • National Environmental Information Exchange
    Network

35
Demonstration
36
Key Question 7
  • Who do I contact for more information?
  • Brand Niemann
  • Location 925C, West Tower, Waterside Mall,
    Washington, DC 20460
  • Telephone 202-260-2510
  • Email niemann.brand_at_epa.gov
  • XML TAG Steve Vineski, 202-260-6155
  • EPA SDC XML Training Chris Bullock, 202-260-3298
  • GPO XML Training Janice Myles, 202-512-1283
  • http//www.gpo.gov/ifpep/catalog/xmlweb.html
  • Federal CIO XML WG Owen Ambur, 703-358-2138
  • http//xml.gov

37
Bonus Question 8
  • What would be a killer application for EPA?
    Bridge the Digital Divide and provide universal
    access to Web content!
  • Simple answer The phone remains the ubiquitous
    communications device and can be used to meet the
    new Section 508 requirements, so if you can
    access content via the Web from a browser, you
    can access it using VoiceXML from the telephone.
  • More complete answer The VoiceXML Forum, the
    W3C Voice Browser Working Group, and vendors
    provide standards and tools
  • http//www.voicexml.org/
  • http//www.w3.org/Voice/
  • http//studio.tellme.com/

38
VoiceXML Schematic
39
VoiceXML Resources
  • Tutorial
  • http//www.voicexml.org/tutorials/index.html
  • 1-800-555-TELL
  • The fastest way to get any U.S. forecast
  • Say Weather, then a city and state, or enter the
    zip code, to interrupt say stop, and for extended
    forecast for your city, say Tellme More.
  • Search Vortal (e.g. Google) by typing words on
    your keypad
  • From the TellMe menu, say extensions and enter
    86782.

40
Possible EPA Applications
  • Voice access to the EPA Topics Web pages
  • http//www.epa.gov/epahome/topics.html
  • Voice access to EPAs first XML database
  • http//www.epa.gov/ceppo/lepclist.htm
  • Develop and run VoiceXML applications on the
    Tellme.com server for free that can be paid for
    by consumers via per minute fees.
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