Reading Part 1 is essential to understand the philosophy of the remainder of the Handbook and to provide a common set of terms and concepts. They assure readers that while, different, these languages do not compete. Case studies featuring middle tier-servers, provided by Microsoft Corporation, eXcelon Corporation, and InfoShark, Inc. round out this part of the book. Part 3 of the book focuses on E-commerce. The message of XML and EDI working together comes through clearly in this edition of the handbook.
Collaboration is a new topic in the E-commerce part of the handbook.
Each of the case studies provides real world application of one or more XML tools. Sponsors for chapters in Part 3 include POET Software Corporation, XML Solutions, IPNet Solutions, and Infoteria Corporation. Part 4 of the XML Handbook focuses on portals. This part provides a series of case studies sponsored by vendors providing XML-based portal software solutions. Sequoia Software Corp. Part 5 of the third edition adds the concept of syndication, or the automated delivery of content via the Web.