Origin and Mission of XML
XML was designed to provide an easy-to-write, easy-to-interpret, and easy-to-implement subset of SGML. It was not designed to provide a “one Markup Language fits all” DTD, or a separate DTD for every tag. It was designed so that certain groups could create their own particular markup languages that meet their needs more quickly, efficiently, and (IMO) logically. It was designed to put an end once and for all to the tag-soup wars propagated by Microsoft and Netscape. Jim Cape, June 3, 1997 posted to comp.infosystems.www.authoring.html