Written by John Evdemon

XML-Journal recently posted a special article online (at www.sys-con.com/xml) celebrating XML's fourth birthday. It's hard to believe the little toddler has grown up to become a preschooler. When XML was first introduced back in February 1998 it was designed to be a Web-based version of SGML. Indeed, the W3C XML Technical Recommendation states its goal as enabling a "generic SGML to be served, received, and processed on the Web in the way that is now possible with HTML." XML is a subset of SGML. Much the way Java preserved the best parts of C++ concepts and syntax, XML made SGML more digestible for the rest of the world. The hundreds of optional features (such as allowing user-defined delimiters instead of the angle brackets we've all come to know and love) have been discarded. The design of XML took a cue from the success of HTML - make it simple and people will use it. The original designers of XML could never have predicted its runaway success - the rapid adoption and deployment of XML within the IT community came as a bit of a surprise. (Many of these XML pioneers will be profiled in streaming interviews for our newly relaunched Web site - stay tuned for more details.)

Finally, analysts and developers alike could use an open, easy to use syntax for describing and exchanging their data - no more mucking about with CSV (comma-separated value) files or other proprietary implementations. This time we had a well-defined standard explaining how to properly implement the language. Surprisingly, most companies adhered to the standard.

So where do we go from here? Four years have gone by since XML became a Technical Recommendation. A lot has changed since 1998. The marketing community at times seemed more excited about XML than the people actually using it. We saw and read many big promises about XML allowing our data to be "seamlessly integrated" with virtually anyone. Analysts predicted that XML-based B2B exchanges would change the world, generating several million (some said billions) in revenue. XML was suddenly everywhere - billboards, television, newspaper advertisements. Bill Gates proudly proclaimed that he goes to sleep at night "dreaming about XML schemas." Well, if Bill likes XML, it must be worth using, right? Suddenly everyone was wrapping their data in pointy brackets and waiting for the highly touted benefits and revenues to start rolling in.

And then reality set in.

Companies realized that simply adopting XML wasn't enough - XML can be used to solve some difficult problems, but it is, in actuality, nothing more than syntax. Syntax, however, isn't sexy, so the marketing machines revved into high gear, overpromising what could be done simply by switching your entire data infrastructure over to XML.

Four years later we've all grown tired of the hype - we're ready for some much-needed straight talk about what XML and XML-related technologies can and can't do for us. With this goal in mind, SYS-CON Media is relaunching XML-Journal with a special emphasis on real-world scenarios and implementations. XML-J will strive to clearly illustrate how XML is being used to solve issues in both large and small enterprises. Each issue will include actual case studies and thought-provoking analysis from leaders in the industry. We won't ignore our roots, however. Our XML Labs section is designed to provide leading-edge product reviews, tutorials, and the types of technical insights you've come to expect.

The past four years have zipped by in a confusing blur: several XML-oriented technical specifications have been released, ebXML continues to mature, and XML-based Web services have become extremely popular. Some of these initiatives will prove quite successful; others will end up on the scrap heap of IT trends past (CASE tools, anyone?). XML-Journal's focus on the practical aspects of XML-based development and implementation can be a valuable tool to help you separate hype from reality.

And that's no hype.

Written by JP Morgenthal

They say change is inevitable. That's hard to dispute, given the economic and technological events of the past five years. So it's inevitable that a publication focused on XML and its related technologies must also change to meet the needs of the expanding XML market.

When I look at XML, I'm always reminded of the beauty in the acronym KISS - "Keep it simple, stupid." XML has a simplicity and elegance that has enabled it to become the primary method of data representation and machine integration for the new millennium. It's so simple that you'd have to ponder for hours to truly fathom how integral XML has become to all industries (and our vocabulary) with virtually little effort (in comparison to other technologies). Grandma's even read about it in Time - go figure!

During the four-plus years since it was introduced, XML has undergone a significant transformation. If we analyze it with respect to a commonly understood model for the software industry - Geoffrey Moore's Crossing the Chasm - XML has moved into the space commonly identified as the early majority. This means that XML is no longer the bailiwick of ex-SGML experts and grassroots engineers, but has become the device of choice for captains of industry. Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer wield the acronym XML in front of their customers and Wall Street as they would a financial income statement, while IBM and Sun view it as newfound territory over which to battle for technical superiority.

XML-J has an expanded audience these days that includes some atypical members, such as the chief executive officer, chief information officer, and others who constitute an unmatched source of corporate spending and decision-making. This is a great opportunity for those experienced in and enthusiastic about XML to incorporate this group into the XML fold. We must reach out and provide the knowledge they need to understand the implications of this technological advancement.

We at XML-J must leverage our years of publishing experience to make the technology understandable to business readers while making the business needs apparent and clear to the technologists. This will be a symbiotic and fruitful relationship.

To this end, XML-Journal is being retrofitted to bring about this harmonious union in printed form. We've created clearly marked sections that allow each reader to best utilize the information contained therein. Our new sections - Data Management, Content Management, Enterprise Solutions, XML Labs, and Home - identify clear and common uses for XML throughout the industry. In this, our inaugural issue, we've recast the mission statement for the retrofitted magazine as a whole and added a new one for each new section to better help you understand the type of content that will be presented in each area. Each type of article will also be clearly marked with newly created icons.

We hope this new format, direction, and audience bring significantly more value to you, the reader. We want the magazine to be a tool you can use in your daily work and share with your co-workers regardless of their role in the company. Moreover, we hope that a new breed of contributors will step forward and share with us their experiences and the results of using XML in their company, especially the experiences of getting others to see the light and drink the Kool-Aid along with the rest of us.