What is XML?

[Schadenfroh]

i have been out of the loop for a while as for as it goes, one of my friends tried explaining what it is to me but i never really fully understood its function. i know there are allot of software that requires it and allot of security updates for microsofts version of it (or do they completly control it?). could someone explain to me what it actually does. gosh i feel like a noob.

[Skyfrog]

Here you go:

http://www.xml.com/pub/a/98/10/guide0.html

[peachy]

If you write web pages that validated as XHTML then you are using an XML language. XHTML 1.x is HTML 4.01 redefined as an XML. XML in a nutshell allows anybody to create a new markup language. In fact, every industry around the world is developing an XML vocabulary that is unique to their industry or field.

For a real world example of XML in action read this story about UPS and how they've made tracking packages over the Internet from your web site just an XML toolkit-away!