I m trying to understand the XML Spec: why does SGML (and XML) have such difficult terminology?
ยง For implementation to succeed, the terminology needs to be precise. Design goal 8 of the specification tells us that the design of XML shall be formal and concise . To describe XML in formal terms, the specification uses the concise language of Computer Science, which is often confusing to non-CS people because it uses well-known English words in a specialised sense which can be very different from their commonly understood meanings — for example, `grammar’, `production’, `token’, or `terminal’. The specification rarely explains these terms because of the other part of this design goal: the specification should be concise. It doesn t repeat explanations that are available elsewhere. In essence this means that to grok the fullness of the spec, you need foreknowledge of computer science and SGML. Sloppy terminology in specifications causes misunderstandings, so formal standards have to be phrased in formal terminology. This FAQ is not a formal document, and the astute reader may alrea
