5 comments about XML in IE5 Programmer's Reference.

1. Author Alex Homer (NOT Horner) tackles the difficult task of explaining XML--for which the standards are not yet nailed down, but which Microsoft's Internet Explorer 5 browser supports in its own peculiar way. The book is aimed at programmers already doing Web-based programming who want to manipulate XML documents on the Web. There are two key technologies supported in IE5 and described in this book. One is the Data Source Object, which can be used to process XML documents set up like a database. It requires that each XML record have the same kind and number of elements, like records in a database. The other technology is the XML Document Object Model, an Application Program Interface that lets Web programmers manipulate XML documents of different structures (using programming script). One chapter that does not seem to require any script writing is the one covering stylesheets, CSS and XSL, with which you can display XML documents nearly anyway you want in IE5. Finally, there are several chapters of references for XML and IE5 that should be of great help to any Web programmer itching to get into XML. The hands-on examples of code are great, often accompanied by links to the publisher's Web site, where you can download updates and source-code examples.



2. Problem #1: The publishers say "It gets straight to the point,..." -- I DISAGREE. Typical Wrox problem.

   Problem #2: In the first few chapters, sample code is either absent or in fragments that dont run as a whole program. Thus, you go thru' 110 pages and still feel like you are getting nowhere.

   Problem #3: Author keeps on jumping ahead of himself in the first 3 chapters. He talks early about advanced topics ("comes to the point" indeed!) giving sketchy, partial details that dont educate an old-hat but confuse the newbie.

   Now the good news: If you bear through the first 3 chapters, you will get a lot. Like most books, you will gloss over lots of stuff and learn to learn from learners.




3. The new XML features in IE5 are exciting, and we're starting to use XML to publish complicated db data on the web. This book got me up and running, so I've gotten a lot of use out of it. But my feeling is that no one has really figured out how to explain XML very well, and this book, like all of the other XML books I've read, seemed a little muddled and difficult to read. The first four chapters of the book are devoted to XML theory and descriptions of the various technologies MS uses, and I found them a little confusing, despite the fact that I was already running some of the XML-Apache code. For me, though, the bottom line is that the technology is so useful and exciting that it's worth expending a little extra effort to pick it up. If someone knows of a better book, email me and let me know. But for now, as far as I know this is an imperfect book that's the best way to learn an important new technology. For that reason, I recommend it.



4. This is another example of the quality (most) Wrox publishings have. The book includes some very good and essential reference to the most useful XML technologies including core XML, XSL(XSLT), Schemas&DTD's, the MS-XML Document Object Model (DOM), ActiveX Data Objects and lots of other stuff.

   It also includes a collection of very extensive reference appendices to all the techniques described above.

   It makes a perfect starting point for XML beginners because:
     1) IE5 and the MS-XML parser are included in most modern PCs and their setup as easy as a few clicks with your mouse (unlike XML-Apache and Enhydra!).
     2) IE5 is a visual environment which easily creates results that can be instantly viewed.

   Something I did not personally like much is that it uses JavaScript(JScript) in most of its examples except for a few ones dealing with Active Server Pages.

   I 'd also wish it had a few examples on COM scripting with the MS-XML parser (yes, it's a COM server, but the book says nothing about it!). It's so important that if you use Distributed COM (DCOM) with the parser you can create client/server XML 'databases' on virtually every Win32 machine!




5. I have to say that this book IS complete about the XML for IE5 subject. Of course, this a Programmer's Reference so it's not a book to learn and it's obviously IE5 specific. If you can live with those constraint and you are looking to do get the best out of IE, take this book and you will have all required information.

   Bottom line, very practical and compact reference; but it will probably need some adjustments when Microsoft will release future XML capabilities to be conform to the W3C recommendations.

No comments about Database and XML Technologies: 4th International XML Database Symposium, XSym 2006, Seoul, Korea, September 10-11, 2006, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

No comments about The XML Standards Landscape Presentation.

5 comments about Enterprise Applications Integration with XML and Java.

1. This is a serious book for java programmers, not for html writers. I found it excellent because: (1) It focuses on how to share data between different applications and servers, which is the topic a real world developer has to master. (2) It provides very good Java sample codes. After read this book, I finally understand how xml could transfer data in a B2B application.

   But be careful, if one's background is webmaster or html author, She better picks a book on how to use xml for presenting contents. This is one for data sharing that can be used on B2B.




2. I bought this book with hopes of more discussion of how XML should be structured when integrated with CICS, or another Mainframe application. It seems to be totally a treatise on how Java should be coded: There are numerous examples of Java code, and would be helpful from that angle. I may find it helpful later when the bridges to mainframe data are understood by me.



3. I bought this book to learn more about enterprise application integration (I do systems integration consulting). Parts of the book were somewhat relevant, but by and large, this is an outdated Java and XML book. This book includes a primer on basic XML, and some introductory SAX and DOM examples, but at least a third of this book is useless filler like the XML spec from w3.org.

   Buy O'Reilly's Java and XML by Brett Mclaughlin if you want to learn about XML and Java working together - he is the author of the JDOM API, and that book is much more up to date.

   I'm still looking for a good Enterprise Application Integration/Middleware/data process book that explains best practices.




4. This is a good starter book for someone who is already familiar with java and is interested in learning simple integration techniques using XML. However, I have to agree with Annette Olson that this book is not for those who live and breathe integration and are looking for better, faster, more comprehensive integration solutions.

   In my opinion this book provided far too much information on the basics of java and XML and not enough useful information about real world enterprise integration. The book claims to provided detailed information regarding integration into legacy applications, but after reading this book cover-to-cover, very little could be found on this subject

   As for the "Top 500 Reviewer"(water_monkey) I would suggest that a more comprehensive educational regimen be implemented in order to bring yourself and your pupils up to snuff. Honestly, the java in this book was quite Ho-Hum. I skimmed over most of the first 7 chapters in search of the "heart" of the book. One would think that a professor would most certainly have a strong grasp on concepts relating to the relatively simple code provided by this book. I'm sorry to discover otherwise.

   -john
   
   java
   xml
   fun
   




5. Out of date concepts, large print, tedious line-by-line code walkthroughs and a 200 page Appendix all conspire to make this book a waste of valued cash.

1 comments about XML Schema Accelerated.

1. Since third-party documentation simply does not yet exist for Altova's current XML development suite, I jumped at the chance to order this book and its companion volume on XSLT.
   
   I now wish that I had saved my money.
   
   FORMAT:
   
   First, you need to know what this book is: it's a bound hard-copy of a PDF document. Unfortunately text quality is reminiscent of a low-end, circa-1982 dot matrix printer, and the images are so blurry that they could double as Rorschach tests.
   
   Text refers to colors within figures; unfortunately the book is printed entirely in grayscale. You're able to download the full-color PDF version of the book, but its image quality is no better.
   
   The printed-PDF format takes "padding" to a whole new level. Text coverage of each page probably averages below 25%. In other words, you're paying for an ENORMOUS amount of blank space. Entirely blank pages abound, and at a cost of roughly ten cents per page, that's inexcusable.
   
   All of this would be annoying but tolerable if the content were worthwhile. Sorry, no such luck.
   
   CONTENT:
   
   Many superior books on XSD theory exist; I didn't expect -- or intend -- to learn Schemas from the ground up using this book. Instead, I HOPED that this book would provide what its description promised: instruction on how to use Altova's XML suite to create XML Schemas.
   
   Instead I got a bewildering jumble of badly-ordered general Schema theory, list after list packed with undefined jargon, and visualizations that baffled rather than elucidated. For example, this is a DIRECT QUOTE from page 283: "In most cases the notation is simple enough that you can follow it, even with a minimal key (this image, actually, is as bad as it gets)."
   
   At least they're honest.
   
   There is almost NO COVERAGE of how Altova's tool suite can be applied to the complexities of XSD. Just one practical, cogent exercise per chapter would have softened my review considerably. Other than a few incomplete examples early on, including 76 pages (10% of the book) on DTDs, which aren't even the subject of the book, Altova hardly mentions its own tools or thier use.
   
   I realize that this book encapsulates the materials that accompany one of their ridiculously pricey online training courses. Would this book make more sense with a teacher guiding the reader through it? I can't see how it would, but if that's the case, then this book should never be sold as a stand-alone product.
   
   Conclusion: if you want to learn XML Schema, seek out any other book than this one. If you want to learn to use Altova's XML suite, hope that a much better writer and a much, MUCH better publisher decides that it's a profitable subject.
   
   Unfortunately, you won't learn EITHER from this grossly overpriced rush job.

No comments about SOA & XML Workshop General Session Presentation.

No comments about Processing XML on the Network White Paper: The Importance of the Data Layer.

2 comments about Enhydra XMLC Java Presentation Development.

1. David Young's Enhydra XMLC Application Development presents XMLC development by first outlining the advantages of XMLC and the Enhydra platform. Then Young introduces progressively more complex development scenarios using XMLC and illustrates each topic with working examples. Enhydra XMLC Application Development is comprehensive, exceptionally well organized, and an ideal instructional text and a useful, long term reference work. User Level: Intermediate-Advanced, 450 pages.



2. If you are doing a J2EE or JSP project, XMLC is worthy of consideration as an alternative to JSP. It works with any Java app server. Unlike JSP, it perfectly cleanly separates the View of a Model/View/Controller architecture.

   This book is written by the XMLC code author. It is well laid out. While, most of the information in the book can be found online, the book lays it out more succinctly and provides a desk reference.

   If you are frustrated with the messiness of JSPs, if you are considering XMLC for a project, or if you are using XMLC for a project, this book is a must have.

5 comments about Professional Stylesheets for Html and Xml (Professional).

1. This book is simply not standard enough to be entirely useful. It covers way too much XML as opposed to the straight CSS standards. Also, many of the examples don't even work under Netscape 4. This text is too IE4 biased to be that good.



2. Eventhough CSS1 and CSS2 are covered, the major stress is given for XML and XSL. Using this book I created a number of good XMLized sites. It has good introduction to XML, XSL, CSS1 and CSS2. Eventhough CSS for HTML is covered less when compared to XML, this is a good book.



3. I would like to thank all involved in the creation of Professional Style Sheets for HTML and XML. As a new developer in Internet development I can frankly say this book is a godsend. From its cutting edge, accurate information, user-friendly writting style to its excellent layout a superb reference.

   This time is perhaps one of the most challenging times to enter into Internet development. There is a lot to do managing to stay current while waiting for user agents and software on the web to become 100% standardized jointly and impliment the standards properly. This book gave me a great in-depth look into using CSS and related skills effectively and sure helped smooth out the learning curve.

   I was easily able to find answers for on-line formatting control even when I wasn't quite sure what exactly it was I was looking for. This to me is an excellent barometer of how well written a book of this nature is. I can also say that despite having a topic that may lend itself to being a little less than exciting reading, this book was very easy to stick through entire chapters! You just have to get this one folks.




4. If you are looking for info on XSL, don't stop here. The information in this book is far out of date for the IE5 implementation of XML/XSL.



5. The book covers what seems to be an older spec for XSL (theremust have not been XLST at the time) (the book published in thebeginning of 98).

   The book seems to cover CSS stylesheets quite comprehensively. I do not need to have a deeper knowledge of CSS so I have not read any other books on the subject and cannot compare.

   Examples and explanatory text in the book seem a bit difficult to comprehend, especially if browsing. Even when reading carefully it seemed to be more difficult to understand what each example illustrated that other reference books I have read. END

No comments about DataPower Technology delivers world's fastest XML web services security gateway.(DataPower XS40 XML Security Gateway): An article from: Software Industry Report.