Re: [xml-dev] hackable xml

[Michael Kay <mike@saxonica.com>]

> sure (although don't get me started on the 5th edn [1]:-) but 
> presumably there was some constituency  asking loud enough for EBCDIC 
> flavoured line endings in XML for the core WG to attempt to add them 
> in 1.1.
>

"loud" is probably the operative word. I would hazard a scenario like 
this: chief architect at major bank has discussion on golf course with 
IBM account manager about future of mainframes in data centre. Mentions 
that he'd be more inclined to stick with mainframes if they did XML 
better - for example, the parser doesn't even understand EBCDIC line 
endings. Salesman returns to base saying $1bn of business depends on 
having better support for XML on mainframes and in particular support 
for EBCDIC line endings. Standards representatives from IBM are told 
their jobs are on the line if this doesn't get fixed. Five years later, 
it's in the standard - but the bank by then has moved everything onto 
Unix anyway.

Possibly a fairy-tale, but a plausible one. This is the way our industry 
works.

Michael Kay
Saxonica