XML

XML stands for Extensible Markup Language. That may sound like the kind of techno-babble that doesn't mean anything to you, but XML is something you should pay attention to because it will transform the power of store Web sites.

To understand XML, you have to think a little bit about the current language of the Web -- Hypertext Markup Language, or HTML. HTML is an excellent language, but it's derived from the language used to tell printing equipment how to display copy.

HTML does that very, very well. HTML is simple. It works with just about any computer there is, because it's text-based. But it isn't very smart.

That lack of smartness can be a problem. Let's suppose you've got a clarinet for sale. With HTML, you can instruct a browser what information to display about that clarinet and how to display it. You can tell it to put a picture of a certain size right there. You can tell it to put the text describing the clarinet over there. You can tell it to put the text describing the price over there. You can tell it to put the information about your special holiday sale over there.

Whatever you do, the Web browser that receives the information, won't be able to do any processing with it. That's up to human beings. It's the human being, who will say, "Oh, that's the price.% It's the human being who will say, "Oh, there's a sale price. I'd better check that out.% That's one of the things that XML is likely to change.

But wait, as they say in those late-night infomercials, there's more. If you're like most music stores, you deal with lots of different manufacturers. Each of them has its own computer system and accounting system and order system. In today's world, you need to configure each of your different orders to the manufacturer's system.

If you were a large operation, you could opt to pay for custom programming to make your site and internal inventory systems mesh with those of the people you order from. But you're a small store and you don't have the bucks for that. So your only option is to have human beings massage your system and connect with your vendors. XML will change that as well.

XML is a new language for the Web that's been agreed upon in its basics. We're still working out the details of how certain industries will work together to share information. But that effort is rapidly moving ahead. As it comes to fruition, youâll be able to share information with other computers and systems. Those might be the systems of manufacturers or of other stores in a buying or a catalog consortium. And youâll be able to share information on the Web in an intelligent way, like you never have before.

What XML will allow a browser to do is to recognize what is the price and carry out any operations on it that are appropriate. It will let you have your Web site do many sophisticated things that you can't do today without a lot of expensive programming.

XML will also improve browsing and searching for web users. You can expect top search engines to help consumers use XML tags to improve their searching experience. If your site has the tags, it could help you get found more easily by more folks,

That's the bottom line on XML and its potential benefits. It can let you increase the sophistication, usability, and contribution to profitability of your Web site as well as your ability to transact business with other businesses. So why not run right out and start using it?

The answer is that XML isn't quite ready for primetime yet. Basic standards have been agreed on and certain languages are under development. This is something you should be checking on every year or so to see if the development is at a point where youâll be able to use it effectively and cost effectively.

From here, let's move on to new technology that will help you manage your email and relationships with your customers.

Here are some resources to help you get a handle on XML and what it means to business.

Start with John Bosak and Tim Bray's excellent article in Scientific American by pointing your browser to http://www.sciam.com/1999/0599issue/0599bosak.html This will give you a good overview of what XML is and how it developed.

Then review the business implications in an excellent overview article from Business Week at http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_24/b3633183.htm

There are a couple of articles in CIO Magazine that will help you, too. One is called "The X Factor" and you'll find it at http://www2.cio.com/archive/031500_et_content.html and the other is "Tag, You're It" at http://www.cio.com/archive/031500_tag.html The articles are cross-linked, so getting to one will get you to the other easily.

By the time you've read all the above, you may figure that XML will cure world hunger and usher in a reign of peace, all by three PM. Time for a dose of realism about the difficulties of implementation. So read Clay Shirky's down-to-earth "XML: No Magic Problem Solver" at http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,14004,FF.html

If your web developer or IT folks are looking for something they can use, suggest they start at http://www.xml.com/ which comes to you from the folks at O'Reilly who publish all kinds of great technical stuff.

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