2005

Utilizing the Benefits of Native XML Database Technologies

Before the talk, some of us joked about the phrase “native XML” and how XML could be indigenous, immigrant, etc. It turns out we weren’t that far off: native XML refers to when the XML document is considered the basic unit of storage, the database is DTD- and schema-independent and the database uses an XML-specific query language.

Alan Cornish of Washington State University Libraries walked us through some excellent XML basics, stuff that grounded me in topics I’m a little shaky on, through examples of XML code, illustrations and hands-on use of an XML editor, and examples of how applications use XML, with an emphasis on digital collections. The handouts are real keepers, and include references to articles about native XML. Google up TEXTML when you’ve got a minute to see an interesting tool Alan demoed.