A Call for Dialogue on XML Schema Part 1 and 2

[Don Park <donpark@docuverse.com>]

Fellow Colleagues,

XML Schema spec has been in Candidate Recommendation status
since October.  Since inner workings of the XML Schema WG is
closely guarded, we can only assume that both parts of the
spec will soon become Proposed Recommendation, and then
finalized not long after.

Question I must put to you is: are we happy with it?

I ask because, despite imminent release of the XML Schema spec,
negative comments regarding the spec have not ceased and new
schema language proposals are proposed even now by well
respected members of the XML developer community.

While W3C holds the right to make any recommendations, it is
heavily affected by its own momentum and the economic intents
of its corporate members, resulting in limited ability to
admit mistakes or control the direction of its activities once
the spec is in site of the finishing line.

So, I believe it is our duty, as consumers of these specs, to
apply external pressure (excuse, if you will) to W3C, if we are
indeed unhappy with the spec.  I realize that this is a difficult
thing to do since we have been waiting for XML Schema spec for
such a long time.  However, I would rather do it right than just
meekly dragged along just because I am tired of waiting or because
I am too busy to care.

Are we happy with XML Schema spec as it is?  If not, can we salvage
parts of it (i.e. part 2)?  I hate to see excellent proposals like
RELAX, TREX, and Schematron ignored for business reasons.

Best,

Don Park
Docuverse