Some of the technologies with which we are proficient:
- XML
- XSLT
- XSL-FO
- XQuery
- EPUB
- Schematron
- Ant and other build tools
- SGML
Consulting
We have done just about everything that can be done with markup and we are ready to do it again on your behalf. From introductiory training to standards committee representation and from high-level needs analysis to schema design and design reviews and through to nitty-gritty of coding in multiple languages and on to testing documents and transforms, we've done it, See below for a short summary of our skills and capabilities.
Technologies
Engagement Types
Engagements take many forms. We can take the role of architect, team lead, or valued addition to your existing team, or be an external resource for a specific task. No job is too small – the shortest has been one hour, and some tasks have been solved in the process of clarifying the details of the assignment. Other projects involve months of continuous work or clients returning over multiple years on an ad hoc, as-needed basis. Our prices are competitive within the industry and vary with the skill set being applied. Work is done remotely, or at your location, worldwide.
Project
When you have a task to be done, it will be done; and when the task is done, we’re done.
On-tap Expertise
Mentea can be of assistance to you as you stretch your XML, XSLT, and other markup skills in developing a new project – by prompting new thoughts and by answering your questions that you don't want to ask on a mailing list or can't wait for an answer for from a mailing list – and can go beyond the level – in detail and in frequency – that is suitable for a mailing list exchange.
You can pre-authorise some hours and get quick-turnaround help on the small and large issues that come up. And when an email or phone call takes less time than it would take to enter it on the timesheet, it doesn’t go on the timesheet.
Team Member
When you have ongoing work and need specialised expertise or even just need another hand at the pumps to help you meet your targets, we can help. We offer significant discounts for repeat and longer-term assignments.
Roles
Adviser
We’ve helped companies get started with XML, XSLT, and related technologies by providing initial training and advice, and even long-established clients come back to us with questions like “How do I...”, “What's the best way to...”, “Does anybody have a tool for...”, etc.
Architect
We’ve designed systems from users’ specifications, from the users’ data and an external specification that they have to meet, and from the ground up when the users know they have a problem to solve but aren’t sure how to solve it.
Analyst
We’ve both done document analysis and facilitated subject-matter experts in document analysis sessions to produce schemas, and we’ve specified mappings between document types when the transformation is to be written by others.
Developer
We’ve written programs and scripts – for our own use and for clients – in C, C++, Java, JavaScript, XSLT, DSSSL, Bash, Windows batch script, PHP, and others.
We use Ant, Make, configure, AutoMake, Git, Subversion, CVS, and other tools that are part and parcel of being a developer, and we can make your build system hum.
Independent Reviewer
We’ve provided independent reviews of schemas and stylesheets produced by others. Reviews can cover fitness for purpose, extensibility, resilience in the face of change, coding style, efficiency, readability, and other factors. The result may be a written report or a modified schema or stylesheet and may be accompanied by unit tests, Schematron tests, or sample files to illustrate the conclusions.
Experience
XSLT
Our staff has been involved with XSLT from the beginning: a Mentea staff member wrote the first post to the xsl-list mailing list in 1998.
This experience in XSLT is available to you for your XSLT projects.
Training
Training can help you get up to speed or keep you up to date with XML- and XSL-related technologies, including XSLT 2.0 and XSL 1.1.
We have taught classes in XML, W3C XML Schema, XSL-FO, XSLT, and SGML concepts to clients in Europe, USA, Australia, and Canada. Classes have ranged from half-day introductions to five-day courses.
Classes can be at your site or in North County Dublin, where Mentea is located.
XSLT/XSL-FO Unit Testing
Unit testing tools are available for a wide variety of programming languages, including XSL and XSLT, but current awareness of XSL and XSLT unit testing tools is limited.
We use unit tests for XSLT, we have taught classes on testing XSLT in Europe and USA, and we are involved with the XSpec and Juxy XSLT testing frameworks.
XSLT Performance Optimisation
Mentea performed a performance review of the XSLT used by the online store of a major clothing retailer. Performance increased by nearly 100%, and the retailer is applying the lessons learned to all of their XSLT.
We can teach you how to improve performance, do similar reviews, or just make your XSLT go faster for you.
XSL-FO Formatter Development
We know XSL-FO from the inside out through membership of the W3C XML Print and Page Layout (XPPL) Working Group and developing the open source xmlroff XSL-FO formatter.
We can apply our experience to your XSL-FO formatting work, or you can sponsor xmlroff development to ensure that the features you need are available in xmlroff.
XSL-FO Projects
As stated above, we know XSL-FO from the inside out, and this experience in XSL-FO is available to you for your XSL-FO projects.
libxslt Programming
We understand the internals of libxslt, and we recently wrote a set of extension functions for a libxslt-based virtual community system.
SGML
We have been using, designing, and teaching SGML since 1991. This includes working with Chinese, Japanese, and Korean documents, writing DTDs for automotive, publishing, and software, and telecommunications applications, and teaching courses ranging from general introductions through to the nitty-gritty of the SGML Declaration.
