[Bug 5091] distinguish between normative and non-normative content consistently and clearly in both specs

http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=5091

           Summary: distinguish between normative and non-normative content
                    consistently and clearly in both specs
           Product: SML
           Version: unspecified
          Platform: PC
        OS/Version: Windows XP
            Status: NEW
          Keywords: editorial
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: Core+Interchange Format
        AssignedTo: cmsmcq@w3.org
        ReportedBy: johnarwe@us.ibm.com
         QAContact: public-sml@w3.org


We need to state how readers distinguish between normative and non-normative
content consistently and clearly in both specs.  The SML spec currently marks
some sections non-normative explicitly, leading a reader to the conclusion that
the rest is normative; the SMLIF spec marks some sections normative, some
non-normative, and leaves the rest ambiguous (including the schema).

Proposal: add following to Notational Conventions section accompanying the 2119
text (editorial word-smithing by editors explicitly allowed if it improves
clarity)

All content in this specification, including but not limited to text, schema,
and appendices, is normative except the following:
- content explicitly marked non-normative 
- content referred to as an example

(end of proposed added text) 

Where entire sections are to be marked, they should be marked consistently.  I
recommend doing so in the heading, ala SML Appendix C.  This means for example
that SML 8 (which is marked in text but not in its heading) must be changed.

Received on Sunday, 30 September 2007 14:30:48 UTC