Re: [xml-dev] nextml

[Michael Kay <mike@saxonica.com>]

> XML took 2 years (most of it was done in the first year).
>
> These days it does take longer at W3C, although you could get a spec
> done in 2 or 3 years, and you can get a draft out in a much shorter
> time.

I don't think you can get a significant spec done fast in W3C these 
days, especially one that tramples all over the space covered by 
existing specs. There are too many people who will want a say, and they 
will all slow you down. How long did XProc take? To do things fast, you 
need a small organization with a small number of stakeholders, and you 
need to be willing to accept that if you get it wrong, the world will 
simply ignore you. W3C is culturally indisposed to take that risk.

Michael Kay
Saxonica