Since you mention this, allow me to lament, once again, that W3C
deliberately crippled the DTD syntax in XML. It disallowed comments
within markup declarations. That wasn't necessary and it was extremely
hurtful to consensus-seeking projects. It is hard to draw any
conclusion other than that they wanted to snatch document design out of
the hands of everyman, offering instead only slavery to the software
products those with the financial resources required to market them,
and, of course, to XSD, which everybody knew would be SO much better.
(As to the latter point, I have never understood why the W3C was allowed
to escape prosecution under the Sherman Antitrust Act. I know the
theory: that TimBL has absolute authority, and therefore W3C is
technically not a conspiracy in restraint of trade. But that doesn't
change the fact that it is indeed a conspiracy that has allowed multiple
market leaders to collude in secret sessions with the net result of
restraining trade, once TimBL says "OK".)
It's easy to understand why the Establishment saw fit to
endow TimBL with a knighthood. A badge of honor, right? His integrity
took the hit, the Establishment reaped the reward, and the public was
duly impressed. No losers, right?