In the demonstration application I showed in the last XML File , I introduced the concept of metadata without explaining what it is or what it is for. I hope the wait wasn't too much, because in this column I'll answer all of your burning questions. Meta is one of those prefixes that has been so abused that it barely has meaning. This may seem like meaningless semantics, but it helps to conceptualize what metadata is about. On the other hand, little details are lost.
Maps provide a high-level guide to terrain that is impossible from the ground.
It's good for generalities, but is really lousy when you start to get into specifics. The CDF example we looked at in the last column is a great example of an XML vocabulary that was designed to sit above a set of resources and describe them as a single, integrated channel. If you need a refresher, here's what that file looked like . RealNetworks will use SMIL as a primary format, which means you'll be able to write streaming multimedia presentations that will run in any browser using standard HTML tools. Allaire Corp., the company I work for, will integrate SMIL into its HTML editor just about at press time.