Re: Implementations not specifications are the problem was Re: [xml-dev] IDs considered harmful

[Sean McGrath <sean.mcgrath@propylon.com>]

[Jonathon Borden]

>Err, so wouldn't it be easier to fix the streaming output systems (I believe
>Xalan already implements the SAX DeclHandler interface on its default output
>handler) than to:
>
>1) Create an entirely new specification
>2) Update every XML parser and XPath and DOM implementation
>3) Deploy the new implementions
>
>The problem is in _implementations_ not _specifications_.
>
>Perhaps I am missing something?

The problem with fixing the streaming output systems is that
they would need the ability to re-produce what was in the
internal subset on their outputs.

Given all the stuff that can occur in the infoset, this is
far from trivial. To get it right requires a comprehensive
infoset view of the source XML instance.

Your average Three-Chord-wonder SAX filter becomes
a nightmare to code.

I think it was Germaine Greer who said
that life is too short to stuff a mushroom. Life is
definitely too short to stuff an internal subset.

regards,
Sean