Maximimum line lengths

• From: Tim Bray <tbray@textuality.com>
• Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 08:01:57 -0800
• To: w3c-sgml-wg@w3.org
• Message-Id: <3.0.32.19961216080144.00a25448@pop.intergate.bc.ca>

Look guys, let's not be pedantic.  Modern operating systems have no 
architectural reqirement for arbitrary-length lines.  However, many
editing systems, de facto, do.  Vi does [any sneers along the lines
of "you'd edit structured documents with vi ?!?!?" will be taken 
as signs of uncultured ignorance].  Emacs, de facto, does.  Some
of the SGML editors do.  Word doesn't.  Some of the SGML editors
don't.  I gave a speech at the Usenix general meeting in 1988
wherein one of the major headings was: 

 "\n Considered Harmful"

I still haven't won that argument.  Editors break lines.  Elvis
is dead.  Deal with it. - Tim

Received on Monday, 16 December 1996 11:02:38 UTC