xml-dev - Re: XML complexity, namespaces (was WG)

[Chris Lilley <chris@w3.org>]

Marcus Carr wrote:
> 
> Chris Lilley wrote:
> 
> [a number of sideways kicks at SGML, then:]
(Generally deserved, I thought)

> > There are significant portions of the old SGML community working to
> > improve XML and to help build the missing parts which are needed. I have
> > a lot of rwespect for that portion. There are, as you say, other parts
> > which are merely trying to save their own highly paid jobs as priests of
> > complex, low-powered technology. One can usually tell the difference by
> > noting that the former portion have their eyes open.

> Spare me. The biggest driving factor behind people working in SGML 
> is the fact that there are clients who want work done. 

Uh, this is actually a fairly big driver for people working in XML too.

> SGML is neither complex nor low-powered, as numerous defence,
> telcos, legal publishers, stock exchanges, aircraft manufacturers, automotive companies, etc.
> can attest. 

I'm not saying that its impossible to get value from it, or that it is
without power. But it is significantly underpowered in some ways, and
pays too big a price in parsing complexity for minor keystroke savings,
and the original design constraints don't necessarily apply to todays
applications, which is why I see XML as more powerful than SGML, not
less, in spite of being (now) a subset of SGML.


> Generalisations of the participants such as those above, create friction between
> the XML and SGML camps and reveal an inate lack of understanding about the relationship
> between the two. I will thank you to not to categorise me as either a "good XML groupie" or a
> "garden gnome".

;-()

Well if you are an SGML user who is not

a) involved in furthering the XML effort, or
b) involved in slowing down the XML effort

then I didn't categorise you at all, since I was speaking of only two
particular portions of the "old SGML community". There are, of course
other portions; and there are, of course, other communities.

--
Chris

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