RE: Standards (yet again) was RE: Use of XML ?

[Dan Mabbutt <Seigfried@msn.com>]

"Because Dulcinea is a not a Pig.  She just smells funny."

We never meet Dulcinea in Don Quixote. She is a figment of his imagination.

Thank you for your reply ... but I have concluded that your reasoning has a
smell similar to Dulcinea and the value of debating this point is a figment
of your imagination as well.

I'll now depart from the main stage back to the peanut gallery where I feel
more comfortable.

-----Original Message-----
From: Bullard, Claude L (Len) [mailto:clbullar@ingr.com]
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2001 7:58 AM
To: Dan Mabbutt
Cc: xml-dev@lists.xml.org
Subject: RE: Standards (yet again) was RE: Use of XML ?


Fascinating.  No logical challengers; just
rhetorical ad hominems.   It only took me five minutes to
find possible legal grounds to challenge on should
that be a useful course.  The web is a wonderful thing.

First, no one is suggesting ISO do that nor
will they.  The XML spec clearly states that
XML is a subset of SGML.  If I accept
the Other position on face value, that position:

1.  Contradicts the extant documents both
formal and informal.

2.  Makes the statements in the formal documents
unsupportable.  Are they intended to protect, to
assert a relationship?  What value do they have?

Why bother to ascertain what this means?

Because people assert XML is a standard.  Is it?
Does that have meaning?

Because people think standards protect them.  From what?

Because the W3C is changing it's rhetoric
about being a technology incubator to becoming a
standards organization.  Is that a good idea?

Because we must understand where the law is
an appropriate remedy and where we are defenseless.
Are we?  Sun can patent the IP in XLink.  We
are told that to change this requires substantial
funding.  Is that the only answer?

Because we should ask ourselves what we require
of organizations that we enable to choose our
choices.  Whose interests are represented?

Because there is now relentless and seemingly
unstoppable privatization of public assets.
Should that go unchallenged?  When is privatization
simply privateersRUs?

Because Dulcinea is a not a Pig.  She just
smells funny.

Len
http://www.mp3.com/LenBullard

Ekam sat.h, Vipraah bahudhaa vadanti.
Daamyata. Datta. Dayadhvam.h


-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Mabbutt [mailto:Seigfried@msn.com]

Len,

I'm usually content to simply observe this great comic opera called xml-dev
from the peanut gallery, but this latest crusade of yours must certainly be
a lost chapter from Don Quixote. I'd really like to know more about why
you're doing this.

Since, as a character from Oliver Twist once observed, "The law is an ass,"
please put aside considerations about whether a successful court action
could be pursued. Answer this question for me: "What benefit to society
would be advanced by taking action against W3C for creating XML?"