Designing an XML Data Structure
This section covers some heuristics you can use when making XML design decisions.
Saving Yourself Some Work
Whenever possible, use an existing schema definition. It's usually a lot easier to ignore the things you don't need than to design your own from scratch. In addition, using a standard DTD makes data interchange possible, and may make it possible to use data-aware tools developed by others.
So if an industry standard exists, consider referencing that DTD by using an external parameter entity. One place to look for industry-standard DTDs is at the Web site created by the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS). You can find a list of technical committees at http://www.oasis-open.org/ ...
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