[Bug 3256] BC dates

http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=3256





------- Comment #1 from davep@iit.edu  2007-08-27 01:59 -------
(In reply to comment #0)

>  Perhaps it would also be appropriate to say that whereas
> historians have traditionally referred to the year before 1 AD as 1BC [yes, I
> mean that, "BCE" is a modern and ugly Americanism], we are following
> ISO-8601:2000 which has decided differently. The "caution should be used" is a
> wonderful euphemism. Why not just admit "this is an incompatible change. Those
> previously-valid documents burnt onto imperishable laser discs in your national
> archives are now invalid. Sorry, you'll just have to live with it.".
> Alternatively, why not do the decent thing and provide a version attribute to
> preserve compatibility?

WRT the point that the change is not backward compatible, please note that 1.0
2E carried a specific warning that this change was expected and users should
plan for that change.

I personally believe that it might help clarify the statement "With that
possible exception, schemas and data valid under the old interpretation remain
valid under the new", if we were to add "(Of course, the actual year
represented by valid negative year values will change.)"  Comments would be
appreciated.

Received on Monday, 27 August 2007 01:59:06 UTC