> I remember the SGML and ASN wars over a decade ago but
> had no personal involvements. I do remember some smart
> folks at the time in the SGML camp saying that ASN was
> a well-conceived technology but overbuilt for the documentation
> market. Is is an XML Schema language? Sure. And?
>
> It seems to me that XML took the market because:
>
> 1. Simpler.
> 2. Smelled like HTML.
> 3. Had a ready made market from the SGML community.
> 4. Smelled like HTML.
> 5. Had the W3C to bless it.... eventually.
> 6. Had the SGML community's experience with hypermedia
> gained during the CALS era.
> 7. Smelled like HTML.
>
> There may be others.
Like
0. XML parser @ $0.00 vs. ASN.1 parser @ $50,000.00
The other reasons are completely irrelevant.
Michael Kay
