Sudden death: request for missing input

I agree that if XML were to be used in the current single-purpse way that 
HTML is, i.e. exclusively for browsing, then error recovery would be
desirable.  But I do not, and so remain convinced that we have to
make a strong statement in order to achieve a violent break with this
one particularly pernicious cultural characteristic of the Web.

I think that Rick's use of the term "sudden death" to describe what
I'm asking for is perfectly appropriate.

A request: could the product vendors and large-scale information 
providers on this group please put their hands up and say what they would 
like to see in this area?  Reason I ask is, a lot of the arguments against
sudden death have amounted to "oh, the vendors would never support it."

I agree - if it is likely that the vendors would not support sudden
death, then it is a bad idea and should be withdrawn.