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Turning this discussion back round towards XML (or at least standards),
an interesting example of "uncitation" practice has just come to my
attention. An official comment has been made on the terms and
definitions section of a draft ISO standard, stating that it is
inappropriate in this context to mention the originator of a term, as
all that a user of the standard needs to know is what it means.
More generally in the standards world it is normal for contributions to
the text to be unattributed. (Other standards, and certain external
documents, are cited.) It establishes a kind of house homogeneity and
authority. Another example, in the press, is the absence of personal
bylines in The Economist or on newswire services.
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