My Action Item to rewrite definition of "normative"

I had an action item to look at the definition of normative and modify it 
to reflect that it is directly connected to conformance (or narrowly focused).

After examining our definition "text in a specification which is 
prescriptive or contains conformance requirements" and UAAG's definition 
"What is identified as "normative" is required for conformance (noting that 
one may conform in a variety of well-defined ways to this document).  What 
is identified as "informative" is never required for conformance.", I find 
very little difference between the two.

"Contains conformance requirements" and "required for conformance" are, in 
my mind, the same thing.  I do not believe that our definition is "narrowly 
focused" and, thus, I don't believe it should be amended to imply that it 
is narrowly focused.  I don't think we should amend our definition to say 
it is directly connected to conformance (since it already says that).

I believe the difference is the way in which the two definitions are 
applied.  Our definition is narrowly applied and UUAG's is not.  Perhaps we 
should say that somewhere in the document.

Mark
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Mark Skall
Chief, Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Division
Information Technology Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8970
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8970

Voice: 301-975-3262
Fax:   301-590-9174
Email: skall@nist.gov
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