Hi,
Since the MediaWiki Client API is no longer a Google Summer of Code project, I've managed to find another proposal which I find really interesting and submitted my application, MediaWiki Export.
Application here: http://ideas.hippygeek.co.uk/wiki/WikimediaSoCApplication More details here: http://ideas.hippygeek.co.uk/wiki/MediaWikiExport
I'm interested in how much work has gone into this already because it would be such a useful feature (both the exporting and the native DocBook storage). Actually, once the API gets implemented there are enormous possibilities for using MediaWiki as a document management tool and calling the API from different internal systems.
An organisation could write documents using a desktop application but use MediaWiki for the back end storage. They could then log in remotely, access and edit the documents from anywhere via a web interface or other application.
Imagine MediaWiki for help systems where the help appears inside a desktop or web application but is stored and collaboratively edited using a MediaWiki installation.
If the XHTML wiki web pages only have to be one representation of the data, the possibilties are endless!
The PHP tool written by Magnus Manske (http://magnusmanske.de/wiki2xml/w2x.php) looks good
Best Wishes
Ben
-- Ben "tola" Francis http://hippygeek.co.uk