xml-dev - Quite Standards Questions

["Richard Anderson" <rja@arpsolutions.demon.co.uk>]

Hi,

In terms of standards, am I right or wrong in thinking that DCD replaced
XML_Data ?

Also, is DCD being replaced by something else ? I remember reading or
hearing something but I cant remember what.

Regards,

Richard.


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-----Original Message-----
From: Buss, Jason A <jabuss@cessna.textron.com>
To: 'xml-dev@ic.ac.uk' <xml-dev@ic.ac.uk>
Date: 8 February 1999 22:38
Subject: RE: "Clean Specs"


>
>>Perhaps in this modern world, some of the rather large fees charged
>>by W3C for membership could go towards hiring some technical writers
>>to address this issue.  IMNSHO, the amount of time that we've all
>>spent thrashing about with namespaces is an example of intelligence,
>>time and energy that could have been avoided by a standard that
>>addressed some of the issues better.
>
>>If standards are the way we'll do business (and I'm all for that!)
>>then why not invest in the best possible standards up front?  Just
>>because IETF and other traditions made do without, doesn't mean that
>>we should be penny wise and pound foolish now.  Clarity is a net gain
>>for W3C members, and for the larger community, as the cost of
>>incompatible implementations is significant.
>
>Avi
>
>At 5:40 PM -0600 2/7/99, W. Eliot Kimber wrote:
>> The XML WG was an all-volunteer project, as are most standards efforts.
>> Those of us who participated did so primarily as a personal commitment,
>not
>> as something our employers (those of us who have them) pay us to do.
>>
>> Standards development is not a commercial process--there is no budget
from
>> which technical writers might be hired.  The W3C only administers, it
does
>> not fund. Same for ISO. Some national bodies do fund some standards
>> development (BSI, the British Standards Institute), but that funding will
>> tend to be used to support the technologists developing the standard and
>> not writers crafting the words.
>>
>> So while it's true that most, if not all, specifications could benefit
>from
> > professional writers, it usually isn't an option for standards
>developers
>
>> > Well, has anyone considered employing real, professional technical
>> > authors to write the specifications?
>>
> >As chair of the DOM WG, I (and I think the editors of the specs)
> >would be overjoyed were someone to volunteer the services of a
> >real, professional technical author who could help in the process
>of
> >getting good specs out the door. However, as has been pointed out
> >by others on this list, this support is difficult to find, as W3C
> >seldom has these resources available.
>
> Maybe it is time some of us who have been "put off" by the way the
>Namespaces recommendation to offer our services, under the auspices of the
>WG for XML and XML related standards, to go through and annotate the drafts
>and recommendations, as they come up for the vote.
>
> I didn't have trouble with the XML recommendation or the XSL working
>draft.  The DOM took me a couple of reads, and I have read the namespaces
>recommendation 3 times and still have some questions, but I am looking here
>and other places to find the answers before I climb up in here and get all
>surly with the spec writers.
>
> I know there are a number of people who have read the spec and are
>upset with the concept of namespaces.  I am still trying to grasp parts of
>it myself.  But I think a lot of this is because I am a technical writer by
>trade.  I prepare documents for the end-user.  I am conditioned to write
>things from the perspective of the person actually utilizing the documents;
>I still wince at typos.  If I hadn't had the background in SGML that I
have,
>I would have been lucky to get past the XML spec itself.
>
> IMHO, if the working groups would like to see the services of
>technical writers utilized, they should probably just come forward and ask.
>I imagine through the W3C site or something.  I think I have seen postings
>from Paul saying he had been working on annotated versions of the
>recommendations.  If tech writers would like to see this, and it appears
>that the WG's would appreciate the help, I don't see why efforts could be
>made towards this.  I know I would probably take up the opportunity to do
>such work, even if it is on a voluntary basis.  Even if some don't have the
>time, surely someone would even a small amount of time to analyze and make
>some notes, so if someone becomes available, they could come in with
>something to start from.  Even if it took a series of writers throughout
the
>development process, the outcome would likely justify the effort.
>
> Any suggestions? comments?
>
>Jason A. Buss
>Single Engine Technical Publications
>Cessna Aircraft Co.
>jabuss@cessna.textron.com
>"I don't have your solution, but I do admire your problem..."
>
>
>
>
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