The XML Handbook (3rd Edition) [Paperback]

Charles F. Goldfarb (Author), Paul Prescod (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 013055068X | ISBN-13: 978-0130550682 | Publication Date: November 2000 | Edition: 3

XML is taking off like a rocket, transforming Web publishing, e-Commerce, and database applications alike. Now, Charles Goldfarb and Paul Prescod have updated their definitive, best-selling XML introduction to reflect today's latest products, applications, standards, and trends. Accessible enough for non-technical managers, comprehensive and accurate enough for technical professionals, this book offers systematic guidance for decision-making and implementation -- plus an enormous, hand-picked library of the world's best XML software and resources. Discover how XML is revolutionizing both e-businesses and "bricks-and-mortar" businesses, simplifying the development of enterprise application integration, supply chain integration, portals, "digital dashboards," trading exchanges, and many other new applications. Review the latest XML-related standards and specifications, including XSL, Xlink, Xpointer, schemas, Xpath and XSL Transformation; and understand the role of XML in middleware. Walk through several real-world XML enterprise case studies, and review today's state-of-the-art XML solutions, from Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Sun, Arbortext, XMLSolutions, and many others.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Learning the basics of the XML language is one thing; understanding how it really can be used in today's commercial applications is quite another. The third edition of The XML Handbook compiles the XML strategies of over two dozen companies, to provide a unique look at how XML is being used right now.

Coauthored by Charles F. Goldfarb, the author of SGML--the parent markup specification of XML--this book comprises two parts. In the first, the XML language is explained in the broader context of SGML, and markup in general. The real heart of the book, however, is in part two. This much larger section is a collection of topical expositions on XML that are sponsored by companies such as Sun, IBM, Adobe, and Microsoft--giving the reader a look at a broad spectrum of XML strategies and uses.

The introductory chapters are written superbly from the perspective of true XML experts who understand its full context. For example, the book describes MOM and POP--message-oriented-middleware and presentation-oriented-publishing--the two seemingly opposite extremes of application types that are served by XML.

In the remaining bulk of the text, readers are treated to industry briefings on real-world XML application designs, ranging from online auctions to EDI and from health care applications to content management. Each sponsored chapter captures the flavor of the company's viewpoint of XML, and is well documented with diagrams and code examples where appropriate. Collectively, they stand as an unprecedented snapshot of real-world XML expertise. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered:

• Markup
• Document Type Definitions (DTDs)
• Schemas
• Xpath
• XSL
• XSLT
• XLink
• XSDL
• Multimedia publishing
• E-business
• Personalization
• Online auctions
• Information servers
• Data exchange
• Collaboration
• Enterprise information portals (EIPs)
• Document conversion
• Vocabularies
• Topic maps

From Library Journal

Goldfarb's book is broken down into five parts: an extensive 60-page introduction to XML, covering what it is and where it is going; examples of what you can do with XML, such as online auction, comparison shopping, and natural-language translation; case studies of commercial development with XML, including projects by Hitachi and the Washington Post; a discussion of specialized tools for working with XML; and, finally, a review of the technology of XMLAsyntax, document type definition, and advanced features. This is the most comprehensive book in the series.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 1034 pages
• Publisher: Pearson Education; 3 edition (November 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 013055068X
• ISBN-13: 978-0130550682
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.9 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,255,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Advertising in a tech book?, December 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The XML Handbook (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

One of the strangest books I have seen and a very disturbing trend. The authors sold corporate sponsorship of chapters and let each company write an chapter-length ad. Its bad enough to get ads at movie theaters and on rental videos, but in a technical book? It's one thing to have ads in things where the cost is largely underwritten by the ads (like magazines), but its quite another to find 25% of a full-priced book filled with ads. Buying this book will only help to standardize this practice. Send the publishing industry a message by refusing to buy this book.

As many other readers point out, this book is aimed at managers who could buy the products sold by the companies who bought chapter ads.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 75% of this book is pure trash, February 22, 2000

By 

Scott Huddleston (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The XML Handbook (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

The reviewer who states that this book is offensive because it consists of almost 50 chapters of random advertisements, written by different "sponsors".... is absolutely right.

This book is offensive. But if you get past the first 50 chapters, and read the last 15 or so chapters, you might agree with me that they are well written. These chapters teach you the technical specifics of XML, DTD's, XSL, XPath, XPointer, XLink, and Schemas. A pretty fine introduction if you ask me. 5 stars for pages 720 thru 950. 0 stars for the rest of the book, and shame on the authors for subjecting their paying customers to such a glut of material.

I'm tempted to take a set of tree-trimmers and chop off the first 720 pages. It would be easier to carry around with me that way too.... Hmmm.....

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars More Marketing Materials, November 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The XML Handbook (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This book includes a lot of topics but mainly at the level of marketing documents, it may be good for some high-level managers but not very useful for developers.