Under-specification for @refcol?

In dita-users list this week
(http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/dita-users/message/15537), Kristen made
the observation that the DITA 1.1 specification for simpletable's @refcol
attribute gives very little insight into how it should be implemented. It
appears that the original intent at the time might have anticipated the
"associative linking" thoughts that have since matured as the keyref
processing specification. Can anyone recall whether we've had previous
discussion for this attribute that needs to be reviewed and added into the
edits for DITA 1.2?

Regards,

--
Don Day
Chair, OASIS DITA Technical Committee
Architect, Lightweight DITA Publishing Solutions
Email: 
11501 Burnet Rd. MS9033E015, Austin TX 78758
Phone: +1 512-244-2868 (home office)

"Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
 Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?"

--T.S. Eliot