SGML Author for Word Questions and Answers

• Microsoft SGML Author for Word, version 1.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

SUMMARY

This article answers the most frequently asked questions regarding Microsoft SGML Author 1.0 for Word 6.0 for Windows.

1. Q. What is SGML Author for Word?

   A. Microsoft SGML Author is an add-on to Word 6.0 for Windows that
      builds on Word's easy-to-use word processing tools. SGML Author hides
      the complexities of SGML, enabling you to become productive without
      extensive training or knowledge. With SGML Author, you can forget
      about spending hours manually tagging documents because SGML Author
      does it for you automatically. All you have to do is focus entirely
      on creating documents. SGML Author's focuses are:

       - Providing an easy-to-use SGML authoring solution. SGML Author does
         not use tags in the authoring environment. This shields you from
         the complexities of SGML and allows you to focus on creating
         content. Administrators configure SGML Author to any DTD without
         programming using point-and-click tools.

       - Leveraging your investment in Word. SGML Author allows you to
         create SGML in your mainstream word processor rather than
         requiring a completely separate editing environment.

       - Supporting key industry standards. SGML Author's ease-of-use and
         author productivity features are matched with its built-in
         support for key industry standards and its ability to read and
         write syntactically correct, fully parseable SGML.

2. Q. What is the price for SGML Author?

   A. SGML Author will have an estimated retail price (ERP) of $595.0
      (US) and will also be available through the same volume licensing
      packages as other Microsoft software.

3. Q. How will SGML Author be distributed

   A. SGML Author is available directly from Microsoft and through a
      number of well established channels, including third-party
      integrators, ISVs, and Solution Providers. Since SGML is a strategic
      technology for many organizations, Microsoft is working with these
      channels to insure that SGML Author users have the highest level of
      third-party support.

      To obtain pre-sales information about new or updated Microsoft
      products, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-
      9400. If you are outside the United States, contact your local
      subsidiary. To locate your subsidiary, see the Microsoft World Wide
      Offices Web site at:

         http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/default.htm

4. Q. What is SGML?

   A. SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language) is an international
      standard that describes the relationship between a document's content
      and its structure. SGML allows document-based information to be
      shared and reused across applications and computer platforms in an
      open, vendor-neutral format. SGML is sometimes compared to SQL, in
      that it enables companies to structure information in documents in an
      open fashion, so that it can be accessed or reused by any SGML-aware
      application across multiple platforms.

5. Q. What are the benefits of SGML?

   A. There are three primary reasons why companies are moving their
      documents into SGML. These reasons are:

       * Document Reuse. SGML separates content from presentation, making
         information stored in documents very flexible for uses with
         multiple delivery formats, such as CD-ROM and electronic
         publishing. Because SGML represents information stored in
         documents as fielded data, this means that SGML-aware applications
         can be used to query and retrieve entire documents or even pieces
         of documents from document repositories. This information can then
         be combined and delivered in a wide variety of formats.

       * Document Protection. SGML is an international, platform-
         independent standard that is based on ASCII text, so companies can
         safely store their documents in SGML without being tied to any
         single vendor solutions.

       * Document Interchange. SGML is a core data standard that enables
         any SGML-aware application to interoperate and share data
         seamlessly. This enables customers to choose the best applications
         for their SGML solutions. In some respects, SGML is ahead of many
         other computing technologies where a standard data format is
         defined and customers can "plug-in" any vendor's application as
         part of a larger solution.

6. Q. What are the primary uses for SGML?

   A. SGML is primarily used for electronic publishing and distribution
      systems. One of the big advantages of SGML is that it is an open,
      vendor-neutral data standard that allows companies to create
      documents that can be reused with a number of different media, such
      as CD-ROM, electronic document viewers, and on-demand publishing.
      Further, SGML is an excellent format for archiving documents that
      require a long life-span.

7. Q. Does SGML Author assure DTD conformance?

   A. When you save an SGML instance, SGML Author automatically ensures
      that syntactically correct SGML is always created. To do this, SGML
      Author may need to adjust the document to ensure its conformance to
      the DTD. To provide batch feedback to the user, SGML Author returns a
      new Word file that contains annotations describing any necessary
      adjustments. These annotations are all worded in terms familiar to
      Word users, as opposed to terms familiar to the DTD creator.