Documents or Data?
As explained earlier, XML arose from Standard Generalized Markup Language, a complex meta-language used for high quality, demanding document processing. SGML was essentially a tool or framework for processing documents, that is, large chunks of text characters.
Initially, XML was designed with essentially the same assumptions in mind. In other words it was envisaged primarily as a tool to process text, in ways similar to but (so it was hoped) more simply, than SGML. The assumption that XML would be used to process text brought with it certain expectations about the uses to which XML would be put and, therefore, the interfaces and constraints that were likely to apply.
However, as XML became more widely known, it became clear ...
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