Standard Generalized Markup Language

The Standard Generalized Markup Language (ISO 8879:1986 SGML) is an ISO-standard technology for defining generalized markup languages for documents. ISO 8879 Annex A.1 defines generalized markup:

Generalized markup is based on two novel postulates:

  • Markup should be declarative: it should describe a document's structure and other attributes, rather than specify the processing to be performed on it. Declarative markup is less likely to conflict with unforeseen future processing needs and techniques.
  • Markup should be rigorous so that the techniques available for processing rigorously-defined objects like programs and databases can be used for processing documents as well.

HTML, XHTML, and XML are all examples of SGML-based languages.

Read more about Standard Generalized Markup Language:  Standard Versions, History, Document Validity, Syntax, Formal Characterization, Applications, Open Source Implementations

Famous quotes containing the words standard, generalized and/or language:

    Error is a supposition that pleasure and pain, that intelligence, substance, life, are existent in matter. Error is neither Mind nor one of Mind’s faculties. Error is the contradiction of Truth. Error is a belief without understanding. Error is unreal because untrue. It is that which seemeth to be and is not. If error were true, its truth would be error, and we should have a self-evident absurdity—namely, erroneous truth. Thus we should continue to lose the standard of Truth.
    Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910)

    One is conscious of no brave and noble earnestness in it, of no generalized passion for intellectual and spiritual adventure, of no organized determination to think things out. What is there is a highly self-conscious and insipid correctness, a bloodless respectability submergence of matter in manner—in brief, what is there is the feeble, uninspiring quality of German painting and English music.
    —H.L. (Henry Lewis)

    A language does not become fixed. The human intellect is always on the march, or, if you prefer, in movement, and languages with it.
    Victor Hugo (1802–1885)