Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!sics.se!ifi!enag From: enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) Newsgroups: comp.text.sgml Subject: Re: SGML Book? Message-ID: Date: 5 Apr 91 16:25:30 GMT References: <348@salt.bellcore.com> Sender: enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) Organization: Naggum Software, Oslo, Norway Lines: 39 In-Reply-To: jxr@thumper.bellcore.com's message of 4 Apr 91 18:06:53 GMT Jonathan, I'm sure this question has been asked & answered many times on this newsgroup, but since I don't usually read this newsgroup, I'm going to ask it anyway... It's heading for the FAQ... :-) (Actually, the proper name for the FAQ should be OTAQ -- Once or Twice Asked Questions...) I'm looking for a good book to learn SGML. I want to learn enough to be able to read/write SGML syntax. I'm not looking for any particular use (application?) of SGML, I just want to learn the syntax. The SGML Handbook by Charles F. Goldfarb is the major reference, but I don't think it will do you much good, being much wider in scope than you seem to need right now. It also takes a lot of effort to read, although it's both well-written and *much* simpler to read than the standard (which it includes). If you look for the syntax, only, you will have a few problems finding the broader view among all the many details. I would like to add that this books is the best thing that happened to SGML since its inception (IMHO), and I do think you will find it worth while buying. I know I did. I've now completed my second reading of it, and my estimate of it has only increased. You should also note that "the syntax of SGML" is usually what is referred to technically as the "reference concrete syntax". An SGML application could come with almost any concrete syntax it likes, as long as it follows the rules about role delimiters and existence of the keywords. I think, however, that what you need is a reference concrete syntax summary of SGML, and I've been working on it for a while. Progress has been a little slow, but I hope I'll be able to finish it next week, having been spurred by your request. -- [Erik Naggum] Naggum Software, Oslo, Norway