XML用在哪里

这是今天在网上看到一帖关于XML 的用途，自己也在学习中，帖出来供大家一看。

It is important to understand that XML was designed to store, carry, and exchange data. XML was not designed to display data.
最重要的一点：XML是用来储存、承载和交换数据的，而不是用来显示数据的。

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XML can Separate Data from HTML
XML可以从HTML中分离数据

With XML, your data is stored outside your HTML.
通过使用XML，数据将被存储在HTML之外。

When HTML is used to display data, the data is stored inside your HTML. With XML, data can be stored in separate XML files. This way you can concentrate on using HTML for data layout and display, and be sure that changes in the underlying data will not require any changes to your HTML.
当使用HTML显示数据时，数据将被存储在HTML中。通过XML，数据可以被单独储存在XML文件中。通过这种方法，你就可以一心一意地使用HTML对数据进行排版和显示，对基本数据的改变并不需要对HTML做出任何改变。

XML data can also be stored inside HTML pages as "Data Islands". You can still concentrate on using HTML only for formatting and displaying the data.
XML数据可以作为“数据岛（Data Islands）”储存在HTML页面中。你可以只使用HTML定义数据格式和显示数据。

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XML is Used to Exchange Data
XML用来交换数据

With XML, data can be exchanged between incompatible systems
通过使用XML，数据可以在相互不兼容的系统中进行交换。

In the real world, computer systems and databases contain data in incompatible formats. One of the most time-consuming challenges for developers has been to exchange data between such systems over the Internet.
实际上，计算机系统和数据库都包含着格式上相互不兼容的数据。开发者们面临的最费时的挑战之一就是通过互联网在相互不兼容的系统中交换数据。

Converting the data to XML can greatly reduce this complexity and create data that can be read by many different types of applications.
将数据转换成XML格式可以极大地减少上述的复杂性，并且创建出可以被多种不同类型的应用程序所阅读的数据。

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XML and B2B
XML 与 B2B

With XML, financial information can be exchanged over the Internet.
通过使用XML，我们可以在互联网上交换金融信息。

Expect to see a lot about XML and B2B (Business To Business) in the near future.
我们期望在不久将来看到更多关于XML和 B2B (Business To Business：企业对企业)的相关内容。

XML is going to be the main language for exchanging financial information between businesses over the Internet. A lot of interesting B2B applications are under development.
XML将成为商务界在互联网上交换金融信息的主要语言。大量有趣的B2B应用软件正在开发之中。

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XML Can be Used to Share Data
XML可用于共享数据

With XML, plain text files can be used to share data.
通过使用XML，普通的文本文件可用来共享数据。

Since XML data is stored in plain text format, XML provides a software- and hardware-independent way of sharing data.
因为XML数据以普通的文本格式储存，XML使用“软硬件分离”的方式共享数据。

This makes it much easier to create data that different applications can work with. It also makes it easier to expand or upgrade a system to new operating systems, servers, applications, and new browsers.
这样可非常方便地创建出能被不同应用软件所处理的数据。这样一来，系统也可以非常容易地扩展或升级为新的操作系统、服务器、应用软件和新的浏览器等。

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XML Can be Used to Store Data
XML可用于存储数据

With XML, plain text files can be used to store data.
通过使用XML，可以使用普通的文本文件储存数据。

XML can also be used to store data in files or in databases. Applications can be written to store and retrieve information from the store, and generic applications can be used to display the data.
XML可以在文件或数据库中储存数据。应用软件可以从已存储的数据中储存、获取信息。一般的应用软件可以用于显示数据。

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XML Can Make your Data More Useful
XML可让你的数据更有用

With XML, your data is available to more users.
通过使用XML，我们可以让更多的用户使用数据。

Since XML is independent of hardware, software and application, you can make your data available to other than only standard HTML browsers.

因为XML与硬件、软件、应用软件相互独立，这样就可以让更多的浏览器利用数据，而不只限于基于HTML标准的浏览器。

Other clients and applications can access your XML files as data sources, like they are accessing databases. Your data can be made available to all kinds of "reading machines" (agents), and it is easier to make your data available for blind people, or people with other disabilities.

其它的客户和应用软件可以把你的XML文件作为数据资源进行访问，就如同他们获取数据库资源一样；你可以使用各种类型的阅读器（或者是代理工具）获取数据。盲人，或其他残疾人也能容易地获取数据。

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XML Can be Used to Create New Languages
XML可用于创造新的语言

XML is the mother of WAP and WML.
XML 是 WAP 和 WML 之“母”。

The Wireless Markup Language (WML), used to markup Internet applications for handheld devices like mobile phones, is written in XML.
无线标记语言 (WML)，用于为手机之类的掌上设备书写互联网应用程序，它就是用XML写成的。

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If Developers Have Sense
如果开发者们具有远见思维的话

If they DO have sense, all future applications will exchange their data in XML.
如果开发者们具有远见思维的话，未来所有的应用软件都将以XML形式进行数据交换了。

The future might give us word processors, spreadsheet applications and databases that can read each other's data in a pure text format, without any conversion utilities in between.
在将来，我们可能会拥有这样的单词处理器、电子表格、应用软件和数据库。它们可以通过纯文本格式阅读彼此之间的数据，而不需要进行任何数据转换。

We can only pray that Microsoft and all the other software vendors will agree.
我们只能祈盼微软和其它软件商认可这样的提议喽。