This solutions-focused book explains how eXtensible Markup Language (XML) -- the W3C-sanctioned standard for communicating data over the Web -- fits into Microsoft's overall architectural strategy for distributed computing. Developers get practical, expert guidance for utilizing Microsoft's implementation of XML in Internet Explorer 5, Office 2000, Windows 2000, and Windows 2000-related technologies such as BizTalk "TM" and SOAP in order to easily access, manipulate, and exchange data between enterprise systems. Real-world applications rendered in Visual Basic Scripting language (VBScript) demonstrate specific XML solutions for client/server and n-tier systems and other technical scenarios.