RE: [xml-dev] 10th anniversary of the annoucement of XML ..need help

["Bullard, Claude L \(Len\)" <len.bullard@intergraph.com>]

Maybe, but that soup's ingredients were prepared before any of us picked
up a ladle. The work was mostly taking out the spices and fat.  XML's
success relies on the efforts that preceded it.

Risking references to three ring circues, note that SGML On The Web
wasn't the norm for W3C specification efforts.

1.  90% of the work was done before the work started because of the long
history of SGML.

2.  There was no lack of expertise with years of experience.

3.  The three ring system with a self-selected inner core that held
private deliberations and complete authority over the changes, a second
ring of experts who could comment and flame but otherwise, had to live
with the decisions of the inner core, and a public third ring used to
get momentum for the work, is not a bad organizational style but should
make one consider if all the rants about transparency are political but
not practical.

A similar approach was adopted for X3D.  It works but it makes people
nervous.

len


From: Ken North [mailto:kennorth@sbcglobal.net] 

Interesting -- 60 people in the working group in 1996.

And some people have suggested other working groups had too many cooks
stirring the soup.