Tuesday, April 11, 2023

DocBook Schema v5.2, CSD 01 is available for public review

The DocBook Schema Version 5.2, Committee Specification Draft 01 is available for public review starting 04 April 2023 at 00:00 UTC and ends 03 May 2023 at 23:59 UTC.

You can download the ZIP file at:

https://docs.oasis-open.org/docbook/docbook/v5.2/csd01/docbook-v5.2-csd01.zip

"Send A Comment" at (https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/comments/index.php?wg_abbrev=docbook). #docbook

Thursday, March 09, 2023

ChatGPT explains DocBook vs DITA

ChatGPT is the latest rage in AI. I thought I'd put it to the test, so I asked it: Explain DocBook vs DITA.

Here is the response:

ChatGPT: DocBook and DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) are both markup languages used to create structured content for technical documentation. While they share some similarities, they have distinct differences in their approach to document creation and management.

DocBook is a general-purpose markup language that can be used to create a wide range of technical documents, including books, articles, and manuals. It was developed in the late 1990s and is maintained by the DocBook Technical Committee, which is part of the OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) consortium.

In contrast, DITA is a specialized markup language designed specifically for creating technical documentation. It was developed in the early 2000s by IBM and is now maintained by the OASIS DITA Technical Committee. DITA focuses on creating modular, reusable content components that can be assembled into different documents.

One of the main differences between DocBook and DITA is their approach to content reuse. DocBook provides some support for content reuse through its use of entities, but it is not as comprehensive as DITA's reuse mechanisms. DITA uses a topic-based approach, where each topic represents a modular, standalone unit of content. These topics can be combined and reused across different documents, making it easier to maintain consistency and reduce duplication.

Another difference is their support for different output formats. DocBook has broad support for a wide range of output formats, including HTML, PDF, and EPUB. DITA also has good support for different output formats, but its focus on modular content means that it is best suited for online help systems and other types of documentation that can be assembled dynamically.

In summary, while both DocBook and DITA are markup languages used for technical documentation, they have different approaches to content creation and management. DocBook is a general-purpose markup language, while DITA is specialized for creating modular, reusable content components. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, and the choice between them will depend on the specific needs of your documentation project.

My response: DocBook v5.0 introduced the concept of Assemblies, which resemble DITA Maps, and a topic  type which enables stronger reuse capabilities, similar to DITA.

ChatGPT: Yes, that is correct. In DocBook v5.0, the concept of Assemblies was introduced to improve the management and reuse of content. Assemblies are similar in concept to DITA Maps, allowing authors to create collections of topics and arrange them in a hierarchy to build larger documents.

Additionally, DocBook v5.0 also introduced a new topic type, which allows authors to create reusable content modules that can be used in multiple documents. The new topic type provides stronger reuse capabilities, similar to the topic-based approach used in DITA.

These changes in DocBook v5.0 were designed to address some of the limitations of earlier versions of the markup language, particularly in the area of content reuse. By adopting some of the best practices and concepts from DITA, DocBook has become a more flexible and powerful tool for technical authors and publishers.

My response: Which is better?

ChatGPT: There is no definitive answer to which is better between DocBook and DITA, as the choice between the two depends on a variety of factors such as the specific needs of the project, the skillset of the team, and the intended audience.

DocBook is a general-purpose markup language that can be used for a wide range of technical documentation, including books, articles, and manuals. It has a wide range of output formats and a large user community, making it a good choice for projects that require a lot of flexibility and support.

DITA, on the other hand, is specifically designed for technical documentation and is highly modular, making it a good choice for projects that require a lot of content reuse and maintenance. It also has strong support for online help systems and other dynamic output formats.

Ultimately, the choice between DocBook and DITA will depend on the specific needs of the project and the preferences of the team. It's worth evaluating both options and selecting the one that is best suited for the specific needs of the project.

I found the responses quite accurate and interesting! Radu at oXygen also had an interesting experience with ChatGPT:  https://blog.oxygenxml.com/topics/using_chatgpt_in_a_dita_xml_project.html 

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Clear skies, Jeppesen. Hello, ServiceNow!

Today is my last day at Boeing / Jeppesen. I will miss all of my colleagues in Information and Knowledge Services there. I'm excited for my new opportunity at ServiceNow, especially to work with such great folks as Toni Mantych, Tony Morales, and Dawn Bunting. I'm also excited to get to know the rest of the team and make work, work better!

Monday, April 02, 2018

DocBook Schema Version 5.0 Errata 01 approved

OASIS is pleased to announce that The DocBook Schema Version 5.0 Errata 01 from the OASIS DocBook TC [1] has been approved as an OASIS Approved Errata.

The Errata updates the Schematron syntax that had caused the DocBook 5.0 RelaxNG schema to fail to parse properly with updated Schematron validators.

The prose specifications and related files are available here:

The DocBook Schema Version 5.0 Errata 01
OASIS Approved Errata
29 March 2018

Editable source (Authoritative):

HTML: 

PDF: 

Distribution ZIP file

For your convenience, OASIS provides a complete package of the prose specification and related files in a ZIP distribution file. You can download the ZIP file here:


Members of the DocBook TC [1] approved this specification by Full Majority Vote. The specification had been released for public review as required by the TC Process [2]. The vote to approve as a Committee Specification passed [3], and the document is now available online in the OASIS Library as referenced above.

Our congratulations to the TC on achieving this milestone and our thanks to the reviewers who provided feedback on the specification drafts to help improve the quality of the work.

Friday, June 23, 2017

DocBook v5.1 nominated for Outstanding Approved Standard award

Nice to get a nomination in the fourth annual Open Standards Cup!


This year's Outstanding Approved Standard award nominees were DocBook v5.1 from the DocBook TC, KMIP Specification and KMIP Profiles v1.3 from the OASIS Key Management Interoperability Protocol (KMIP) TC, Business Document Naming and Design Rules v1.0 from the OASIS Universal Business Language (UBL) TC, and XLIFF Version 2.0 from the OASIS XML Localisation Interchange File Format (XLIFF) TC.


Congrats to the TOSCA TC on winning the award.


https://www.oasis-open.org/open-standards-cup

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Scaling quality using Schematron

Do you have limited editorial staff or resources? How do you ensure content quality in spite of an ever-expanding set of content and the unrelenting pressure to deliver that content quickly? In this presentation, we’ll get you started using Schematron to scale your quality control initiatives! When integrated with an XML editor, Schematron provides real-time analysis and feedback to authors to ensure that content follows defined editorial rules. (Remember, we rely on DITA to establish and control structure, but DITA is silent regarding the overall linguistic quality of content.)

You will learn about the process of converting editorial style guide rules to Schematron, including what makes a good Schematron rule. We will provide tips and best practices based on how we implemented Schematron at Jeppesen. You’ll learn which editorial challenges lend themselves to Schematron solutions and which are too linguistically complex and require a human editor.


I'll be presenting on this topic at the CMS / DITA North America conference in San Diego, April 24-26, 2017. Please plan to attend!

URL: https://cm-strategies.com/2017-cms-conference/agenda-day-3-2/hudson-schultz/

Monday, January 16, 2017

Seattle/Kirkland-area DITA listening session on Jan 24/25

In addition to the downtown Seattle DITA listening session on Jan 24, we've added an additional listening session in Kirkland on Jan 25.
RSVP:
When:
  • Wednesday, January 25, 2017
  • 03:30-06:00 PM
Where:
Who:
  • Members of the OASIS DITA Adoption Technical Committee (local and video remote).
  • Area DITA writers, architects, managers, and tool smiths.
  • Company reps at all stages of a DITA implementation.
Goals:
  • Although members of these Technical Committees interact with DITA prospects and DITA practitioners routinely at conferences and online, we suspect that our picture of how things are actually going for DITA companies is incomplete if we do not have venues for those DITA users and architects who have not had opportunity to attend conferences, local user groups (if they exist), or technical forums. These listening sessions are a form of outreach to DITA people where they live and work. They are an opportunity for the Committee to feedback from current, past and future DITA users.
    The Technical Committee recently released DITA Version 1.3 and is now assessing what sorts of features and/or capabilities might be important for DITA 2.0. See http://docs.oasis-open.org/dita/dita/v1.3/ The DITA Adoption Technical Committee focuses on identifying and removing obstacles to initial DITA adoption and long-term DITA investments. See https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=dita-adoption
What:
  • The format is informal within the following structure:
    • 30 minutes meet n' greet
    • 60 minutes attendee roundtable -- how is DITA doing at your company?
    • 30 minutes Q&A - OASIS TC members asking attendees
    • 30 minutes Q&A - local attendees asking OASIS TC members
    • (Optional) Dinner and refreshments at a local watering hole
RSVP: