xml-dev - Re: xslv updated

[AndrewWatt2000@aol.com]

Amelia Lewis wrote:

> If you care to look at it, it's at:
>  http://www.mindspring.com/~alicorn/xslv/xslv.html
>  
>  This includes some modifications, as well as an alternate vocabulary
>  based on CSS2, and perhaps a slightly more cogent explanation of how
>  it's to work.  It still isn't fleshed out much, sorry.  More later, if
>  it looks like a remotely reasonable thing to invest time in.

Amy,

I like your idea. I think there is a need for something simpler than XSL:FO 
is likely to be.

That is not to say that XSL:FO should be discarded. Arguing by analogy, not 
everyone needs an 18 wheeler to take their shopping home, something a little 
more modest will meet the needs of many. The majority may have neither the 
need nor resources to incur the capital and maintenance costs of the "all 
encompassing" solution - which is what I guess XSL:FO, in a sense, will be.

Of the three definitions you suggest for XSLV I would favour the first: "XML 
Stylesheet Layout Vocabulary". I think your third suggested name could be 
safely discarded without loss to humankind. :)

As I was scanning your revised suggestion the thought popped into my mind, 
why not just "translate" CSS into an XML-conformant version, maybe called 
"XCSS", by analogy with the recently announced XHTML Recommendation. And a 
few lines later I found your link to the "XCSS" namespace.

The concept of XCSS is something which I would guess must be (or should be) 
on the W3C agenda. Does anybody know? Or, could it be that the XSL:FO focus 
makes "XCSS" - or XSLV - a politically highly sensitive issue?

XSL:FO, if approved, will undoubtedly be a powerful solution. But it may well 
not be a manageable solution for "the little guy". Something like XSLV or 
XCSS may well have a place, perhaps in certain respects similar to the way 
SAX has found a place as a practical solution to a practical problem, while 
not being an official W3C standard.

It will be interesting to hear further discussion on your proposal.

Andrew Watt

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