Re: [qaframe-spec] What is an implementation?

On Thu, 4 Sep 2003, Bjoern Hoehrmann wrote:

> >>   The current Specification Guidelines document
> >> <http://www.w3.org/QA/WG/2003/08/qaframe-spec> does not define
> >> what it consideres an implementation. For example, is a MathML
> >> document considered an implementation of the MathML
> >> specification? If it is considered an implementation, this should
> >> be made explicit. If it is not considered an implementation, the
> >> document lacks checkpoints for documents, it is for example
> >> nowadays quite common for web authors to include conformance
> >> claims for their web site on their web site but Guideline 9 only
> >> considers "implementations".
> >
> >Would it be sufficient to say that "implementation" is anything
> >that is a subject to specification's conformance statement
> >(explicit or implied)?
>
> I do not consider myself an implementer of the XHTML 1.0
> specification if I author an XHTML 1.0 document, so even if that
> could be sufficient in some sense, the term "implementation" should
> be reconsidered to ensure it does not get misinterpreted when people
> have not read the definition (participants in a mailing list
> discussion for example). In other words, referring to documents with
> "implementation" is confusing and should be avoided.

That sounds OK to me. I do not care much about the word to name all
"conformance subjects", more about the term definition.

"Implementation" seems better (less restrictive) than "document", but
if there is a single word that describes documents, software,
specifications, etc. we should use that word. "Conformance subject" is
accurate but too long and awkward, IMO.

Alex.

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Received on Wednesday, 3 September 2003 19:17:00 UTC