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AndrewWatt2000@aol.com scripsit:
> I assume "living document" is a synonym for the dictum "Every word means what
> I say it means, no more and no less."? (after Humpty Dumpty, I think)
No.
Living documents are those which are subject to change under some procedure
or other. This may involve uncontrolled blitz, change-controlled errata,
or reinterpretation of old words in new ways.
> It is one of the recurring problems of W3C specification documents that WG
> members take it to mean what they intended it to mean while the other 5.9
> billion or so humanoids on the planet (or those who take the time to read the
> document) have to go by why what was stated - however badly phrased or
> structured.
No, the others also take the document to mean what they believe it to mean.
Objective "meaning" is a myth: reality is too subtle to be snared in a
net of words however cleverly chosen.
Specifications are contracts drafted by amateur lawyers.
--
Some people open all the Windows; John Cowan
wise wives welcome the spring jcowan@reutershealth.com
by moving the Unix. http://www.reutershealth.com
--ad for Unix Book Units (U.K.) http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
(see http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/who/dmr/unix3image.gif)
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