Re: [xml-dev] SGML default attributes.

[harvey <harvey@eccnet.com>]

If I remember correctly it was because they didn't want to rely on a 
DTD.  At the time XML was created there SGML browsers were becoming 
popular (at least in certain circles).   Internet connections were 
mainly dial-up - larger organizations had ethernet.  The SGML standard 
required that the SGML instance validate against the SGML declaration 
and SGML DTD.  The browsers downloaded the declaration, DTD and 
instance, then  before the document could displayed the browser also had 
to parse the document against the DTD.  If there was any connection 
failure then your document wouldn't parse and you were left with an 
error. It led to some (a lot) of frustration.  Users were saying "I just 
want to see the document -- why should I care if it parses".

XML was meant to be a lightweight version of SGML thus the requirement 
for parsing against the DTD/schema isn't required.    Without a 
DTD/schema non-existent defaulting attributes in the document didn't 
make sense.

Betty

On 2016-04-29 04:33, Dave Pawson wrote:
> Can anyone recall why attribute value defaulting was dropped
> when XML was created?
>
> Does it seem 'useful' to anyone now?
>
> regards
>
> --
> Dave Pawson
> XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
> Docbook FAQ.
> http://www.dpawson.co.uk
>
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Betty Harvey                         | Phone:  410-787-9200  FAX: 9830
Electronic Commerce Connection, Inc. |
harvey@eccnet.com                    | Washington,DC XML Users Grp
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