The XML FAQ

The principal online support media are web forums and mailing lists. Usenet newsgroups for XML exist but are rarely used now, although searching them via Google Groups can turn up a lot of useful information. The IRC network is also used to some extent, and most individual XML projects and programs have their own topic-specific bulletin-boards on their web sites. There is also an unknown number of related question-and-answer forum sites which are findable using search engines.

For off-line support, see Where do I find more information about XML? for details of conferences and summerschools.

• The most active web forum seems to be StackOverflow: oddly there seems to be no special-purpose StackExchange XML site like there is for other topics (eg LATEX). The W3Schools XML Forum (wholly unrelated to the W3C) also seems to have recent traffic, as do DevShed and CodingForums. A Google search will turn up many others with lower levels of traffic.

• The main Usenet newsgroup is comp.text.xml, although it is much less used than formerly. Ask your Internet Provider for access to Usenet, or use a Web interface like the searchable archive maintained by Google. If your browser or mailer doesn't provide newsreading facilities, install one that does, or (better) use a standalone newsreader.

  The comp.text.sgml newsgroup is for all practical purposes no longer used. The Microsoft-specific newsgroups are being phased out in favour of web-based forums hosted by Microsoft themselves.

• The general-purpose mailing list for public discussion is XML-L: to subscribe, visit the Web site and click on the link to join.

• The new MarkupDeclaration community for declarative and generic markup has a mailing list for public discussion at MarkupDeclaration@lists.mulberrytech.com: to subscribe, visit http://www.mulberrytech.com/lists/subscribe-unsubscribe.html.

• For those developing software components for XML there is the xml-dev mailing list. You can subscribe by sending a 1–line mail message to xml-dev-request@lists.xml.org saying just SUBSCRIBE. Note that this list is for those people actively involved in developing resources for XML. It is not for general information about XML (use the XML-L list above for that).

• The XSL-List is for for discussing XSL (both XSLT and XSL:FO). For details of how to subscribe, see http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list.

• There is a long list of other discussion groups, mailing lists, and forums on Robin Cover's site at http://xml.coverpages.org/lists.html.

Andrew Watt writes:

There is a mailing list specifically for XSL-FO only, on eGroups.com. You can subscribe by sending a message to XSL-FO-subscribe@egroups.com.

Be aware that the Yahoo E-Groups XSL-FO list sends out regular automated spam to non-members falsely claiming that they have asked to join.

Gianni Rubagotti writes:

A new Italian mailing list about XML is born: to subscribe, send a mail message without a subject line but with text saying subscribe XML-IT to majordomo@ananas.usr.dsi.unimi.it. Everyone, Italian or not, who wants to debate about XML in our tongue is welcome.

Gianni also runs the Humanities XML List.

J-P Theberge writes:

A French mailing list about XML has been created. To subscribe, send subscribe to xml-request@trisome.com.

Murata Makoto writes:

Please mention this mailing list to your colleagues who use RELAX NG. Go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rng-users/.

Mailing lists

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