Re: Explain discussion question

Hi,

In the ONE-2 project, we are now very close to completing our explain-lite
XML approach. This was created because the requirement was to be able to 
have a flexible and quick way to identify the most commonly used server
parameters - many of the other parameters in the standard that are in
explain we have omitted - these parameters are often only used in a
"private" scenario, where details would be known anyway between client and
server through prior arrangement.

I think that to re-invent explain in the context of its current model is
essentially a waste of time - the current model has been around for over 5
years now, it was seriously pushed by the ONE project, it was pushed
by the explain test bed and the number of implementations as far as I 
know is minimal. I dont see that changing the query syntax or
the ASN.1 definition of the record syntax is going to encourage a majority
of folk to think differently about implementing.

ONE-2 will provide a presentation about explain-lite at the forthcoming
ZIG - however, the following URL (viewed with IE5) shows a sample for the
BIBSYS databases in Norway, using a stylesheet for the display:

http://www.bibsys.no/z/bibz.xml

For those at the San Antonio ZIG earlier this year who were in the
Z39.50/Web group and can remember the "friends and neighbours"
discussion - if you do a "view source" of the above URL in IE5 and go to
the bottom of the XML source - you can see we have included this as well.

ONE-2 implementers firmly believe that working in XML rather that ASN.1 is
the way to do this - the XML approach allows flexibility:

- the use is not constrained to just the client-server applications: 
   * you can specify details on a Web page (as shown above), 
   * we are using this for the configuration parameters in our client
applications,
- our proposed use is to carry this as an XML external on the Init
  service means that none of the explain database or the explain querying
  has to be supported;
- it is easy to maintain, and if there are subsequent versions they can be
easily managed by using a different DTD reference.

Rob

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 Rob Bull    bull@crxnet.com         Crossnet Systems Limited
 tel +44 (0) 1635 522912             Unit 41 Bone Lane, Newbury 
 fax +44 (0) 1635 522913             Berkshire, RG14 5SH, United Kingdom
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Received on Thursday, 16 November 2000 08:54:14 UTC