Re: Errors in MathML DTD

Nick Kew <nick@webthing.com> writes:

>  . . .
>      Fetching the MathML DTD + modules by HTTP is too big an overhead
> and will slow the server unacceptably.  We need to keep local copies,

Yes.  I cannot imagine a validating production operation of any size
that should not want local copies.

> which means we're stuffed if you change the DTDs by stealth (i.e. without
> creating a new public identifier for the updated DTDs).

An http HEAD request usually receives a header "Last-Modified".  As
long as the http server provides that, there is no added value in
changing either public or system identifier for a glitch-level error
correction.

> It would be more helpful if you could notify us whenever the DTDs are
> updated.

This would be very helpful.

> I guess the basic problem is we never expected DTDs to change without
> it showing in their PUBLIC and SYSTEM IDs, so we're not geared up for
> automatic mirroring.  I'm wondering what would be the implication of
> setting up a cron job to fetch the whole lot weekly or something?

Gnu "wget" is timestamp sensitive through ftp and http according to
its docs.  (I've never given it much attention.)

                                    -- Bill