SGML Report: Section 2: Software Products

There are approximately forty products described and assessed in this section of the report — many more if one was to include the `associated products' that are not directly described. Some very clearly can be fitted into a specialist category, others are designed to fit across any sort of categorisation scheme. However, to be able to compare systems at all, the authors felt that there was a need to try and categorise products by what they set out to do. The categories chosen for products are:
Autotaggers
primarily used for the conversion of legacy data, much of which will be held in paper form only. [Note: Products which aim to convert scanned material properly are noted.]
Authoring and editing tools
this category has been further sub-divided into SGML-specific editing systems and SGML-aware additions to existing w.p and d.t.p systems. SGML-specific systems will always process the SGML better, but users may not feel able to make the single `giant leap' so they step first into SGML through add-ons to a system they are already familiar with.
Transformation tools
to be able to transform from one structure or format into another. These tools have a use beyond SGML as many provide a generalised transformation capability [Note: One of the packages assessed uses SGML as the intermediate structuring form between the input and output forms.] Autotaggers and transformation tools are closely related.
Document Management Systems
the largest group of products which has been further sub-divided into those providing a dynamic storage model (like a document database and authoring environment with built-in document change control mechanisms); those designed as stand-alone static storage systems designed to give access very quickly to information in huge document stores; and combined static- storage and viewing systems (moving towards the electronic library). Clearly, there could be overlap, and users are recommended to look at all systems.
Stand-alone browsers and viewers
although part of managing documents, the products in this group aim to provide a high-quality, well-formatted view of documents rather than manage a collection of them.
Parsers
all SGML products must be able to parse the information structures that they use (and so will contain at least a restricted parser). However, there is still a role for independent parsers for users who wish to develop their own total SGML application.
DTD viewers
now that graphical user interfaces are universally available and DTDs are getting more complex, a group of products are starting to emerge that allow users to view their DTDs graphically and some provide associated DTD editing facilities.
Miscellaneous SGML tools
the final catch-all category. This contains descriptions of SGML Conformance Test Suites that are available, and on the MarkMinder/HyMinder engine that is available for the development of HyTime-based hypermedia applications.
Within the description of each product, information is provided as to which hardware/software platforms they are available on. This is fairly straight-forward for systems running on PCs (two divisions: MS-DOS or Windows 3.1) and Apple Macintoshes, but Unix-based systems may require a particular hardware platform and would only be available for that version of Unix (or X-gui). Every effort has been made to obtain a definitive statement from suppliers, but in the end it has to be the users who confirm that the particular set of products they choose will run together, and provide the facilities that they require.