Docbook versus Home-Grown

[Ellen Lebelle]

Hi Joe,

I work for a small company and I did my own EDD - with the help of
many members on this list. I also "keep structure and presentation
completely separate, the first in the EDD  (i.e. 'if list level 2, set
para tag X') and the second in the template."

I did this as the DITA thing was gaining importance, but since I
started before, I created my own tags in terms that I understand.
(Wasn't that one of the selling points of xml - that you didn't have
to comply with standardized tags?) In the end I think my structure is
very DITA-like (because my mind just happens to work in the same way),
but the tags are not. And, many of the more complex things that go
into the DITA application are missing, so to convert into DITA would
be a challenge. Also, because I was learning as I was doing, there are
probably things that should be cleaned up in my EDD or made simpler.
But it works for us.

If you're just starting out with this now, you might want to take that
into consideration.

Ellen Lebelle (mailto: elebelle at kds.com)
Documentation Manager
KDS
Centre d'Affaires La Boursidière -- BP160
92357 Le Plessis Robinson -- France