Re: Re: [Linkbat-devel] The Linkbat "product" - comments requested

[Hal F. G. <hal...@ur...>]

---- On Sun, 19 Jan 2003, James Mohr (lin...@ji...) wrote:

> I like the idea of of PDFs. There are even some open source tools that can 
> convert HTML to postscript and others that can convert the postscript to PDF. 
> However, switching languages right now gives me a real belly ache. Unless 
> there are some real substantial advantages in using Java, I would rather we 
> spend our energy on first getting into XML and getting the code to convert it 
> to CSV, plus increasing the functionality of the tutorial. 
> 

  I agree.  I should have a basic DTD written this week and be adding more to 
it to finalize it be next week.

> Eventually I want to convert even the content files to XML and then use XSL to
> translate them to HTML (or simply leave them in XML and have them processed 
> on the fly. However, I think that at that time the data model will be stable 
> and and we can sink our teeth into a new language. Especially because at that 
> point, the access method (i.e. language) should be irrelevant. You can use 
> anything.
> 

   When we are all set I can toss something, together that will automate the 
translation of XML to XTML using an XSLT stylesheet that we come up with.


> Regards,
> 
> Jim
> 
> 
> On Sunday 19 January 2003 17:40, Hal F. Gottfried wrote:
> > Well because we are using XML and the whole project is very modular we can
> > do it one of a few ways. I think the pdf idea is most likley the best
> > because everyone supports PDFs. Although it would not be dynamic it would
> > have to be a static file. We could an interface in Java and the back end in
> > XML as it is and then the Java would be just like they had been viewing it
> > on the web and it can still be dynamic. THoughts?
> >
> > Hal
> >
> > ---- On Sat, 18 Jan 2003, James Mohr (lin...@ji...) wrote:
> > > Hi All!
> > >
> > > Since I got the rights back to my books, I have been thinking about
> > > putting the material together as a single package so that it can be
> > > installed on other machines without having to deal with the data files,
> > > cgi scripts, etc. This means a number of major changes.
> > >
> > > The first question is whether or not this makes sense to do it. Since the
> >
> > site
> >
> > > went online I have received a number of request to provide the material
> > > on a CD, PDF, tarball, etc. Since I had the licensing problem, I couldn't
> > > before. Now I can. When we package linkbat (not if), it needs to be easy
> > > to install. Obviously, with single pages with no cgi, the user can simply
> > > drag and drop it into a filesystem to view it (even on Windows).
> > >
> > > This means two sets of code, one for the web and one for the "package".
> > > At
> >
> > the
> >
> > > very least we need to expand the code to allow (maybe by passing
> > > arguments to the sub-routines, telling it to create it for the web or for
> > > a "package".
> > >
> > > We obviously need the code to create the pages. The existing code was
> >
> > designed
> >
> > > to present it dynamically on the web. However, the functionality is
> > > there. It need to be modularized so that each function delivers single
> > > pieces of information. Next, we need the mechanisms that creates the
> > > completed page set so that that can be accessed easly. This means
> > > creating the menus, glossary and more info pages, etc.
> > >
> > > The other alternative is to package the existing code in a way that they
> > > can easily install it on their own site. It is already pretty modularized
> > > and there are just a few places where you need to make path changes: At
> > > the very least there is just a single config file that needs to be
> > > modified.
> > >
> > > However, I would still like to eventually make the entire site available
> > > as a PDF (i.e a book). That would require the same code (plus some) to
> > > strip out or convert all of the HTML elements.
> > >
> > > There are obviously a lot more questions to answer, but I am trying to
> > > get a feel for what direction to go. What do the rest of you think?
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Jim
> > >
> > > --
> > > ---------------------------------------
> > > "Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your
> > > character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what
> > > others think you are." -- John Wooden
> > > ---------------------------------------
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> > >
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