XMetal and Content Creation Tools

July 20, 1999

To extend our coverage of XMetaL, XML.com's Dale Dougherty interviews Bruce Sharpe of SoftQuad Software.

Bruce Sharpe, VP of Development,
SoftQuad Software, Inc.

You will need the current version of the Real Player to listen to this interview.

Here are some of the questions asked in this interview.

In what category does SoftQuad place XMetaL? Is it a word processor?
- "XMetal is a content creation solution," says Bruce Sharpe.
Will XMetaL be compared to the latest generation of HTML editors? Will target users be moving up from HTML editors to XMetaL?
- Bruce explains that he sees a different audience for the product, one that is not necessarily authoring in HTML today.
You don't seem to come out and say that this is a terrific, powerful code editor, along the likes of EMacs. XMetaL is a tool for power users. Isn't XMetaL a code editor, like an IDE?
- SoftQuad believes there are two types of users, one of whom is a power user able to take advantage of various scripting and customizable options. The other type is a person who has little knowledge or interest in XML but needs to create structured content for a business application.
XMetaL is highly customizable. Describe how you'd customize XMetaL for a specific doctype.
- Bruce describes the various levels of customization in the product, up to and including interfacing XMetaL with a content management system.