Increasingly publishers of journals – and books – are moving over to XML for typesetting of their journals, books and other content for online delivery. Here at Ingenta Connect we think XML is so much better than the alternatives. We’re offering XML typesetting services for our publishers at reduced costs, in order to by-pass some if the usual objections to transitioning to the format (sourcing appropriate typesetters, infrastructure and maintenance, disruption, lack of in-house skills etc.) and making XML a more viable alternative for all our clients.
Here in no particular order are six reasons* for using XML.
- XML can be used to describe and identify information accurately and unambiguously, in a way that computers can be programmed to ‘understand’ your information.
- XML allows sets of documents which are all the same type to be created and handled consistently and without structural errors, because it provides a standardised way of describing, controlling, or allowing/disallowing particular types of document structure.
- XML provides a robust and durable format for information storage and transmission. Robust because it is based on a proven standard, and can thus be tested and verified; durable (persistent) because it uses plain-text file formats which will outlast proprietary binary ones.
- XML information can be manipulated programmatically (under machine control), so XML documents can be pieced together from disparate sources, or taken apart and re-used in different ways. They can be converted into any other format with no loss of information.
- XML lets you separate form (appearance) from content. Your XML file contains your document information (text, data) and identifies its structure: your formatting and other processing needs are identified separately in a stylesheet or processing system. The two are combined at output time to apply the required formatting to the text or data identified by its structure (location, position, rank, order, or whatever).
- XML helps to make uploading to a platform such as Ingenta Connect smoother, faster and error-free – and your content easier to identify and find on the web
If you would like more information about our new XML typesetting services, please contact your Account Manager!
*With acknowledgement to Flynn, P [Ed.], (2016) The XML FAQ, v.6.4. Cork:Silmaril. Retrieved from http://xml.silmaril.ie
