Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!comp.vuw.ac.nz!rata.vuw.ac.nz!gnat From: gnat@kauri.vuw.ac.nz (Nathan Torkington) Newsgroups: comp.text.sgml Subject: General Enquiry Message-ID: Date: 19 Jun 91 06:24:52 GMT Sender: news@rata.vuw.ac.nz (USENET News System) Distribution: comp Organization: Contract to CSC, Victoria Uni, Wellington, New Zealand Lines: 27 Nntp-Posting-Host: kauri.vuw.ac.nz I have a document which someone tells me is in SGML format. I have some questions: --> What is SGML? [I understand it's a standard structured-text language] --> How can I decode this file? [I want it turned back into the Shakespearean Script that it is supposed to be]. --> Where do I get a 'decoder'? [FTP/E-mail -- *not* commercial] --> If no public domain decoders exist, what is involved in writing one? I assume that as it's a general format, any decoder would have to be told how to parse , etc. My apologies if my question betrays extreme ignorance. The sad fact is that I *am* extremely ignorant ... Nat. -- Nathan Torkington Contracting to CSC, Internet: gnat@kauri.vuw.ac.nz Victoria University Of Wellington, Vocal Abuse: +64 4 853 881 (post-chronos) P.O. Box 600, New Zealand. This is not an official communication of any part of Victoria University. lint(1) is the compiler's only means of dampening the programmer's ego.