The trouble with absolutizing...

... is not that it's difficult, or expensive, or a Bad Thing.

The trouble is simply that there are thousands of documents Out There
which identify namespace names based on identical string matching,
that will become broken if the rules are changed retroactively.

These documents were issued in conformance with a W3C Recommendation,
which is supposed to be stable, and people are supposed to be able
to rely on it.

"Software is not precious, but documents are" is a basic assumption
of markup languages.  To renege on the W3C's commitments now will
exact a high price in future credibility.

-- 

Schlingt dreifach einen Kreis um dies! || John Cowan <jcowan@reutershealth.com>
Schliesst euer Aug vor heiliger Schau,  || http://www.reutershealth.com
Denn er genoss vom Honig-Tau,           || http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
Und trank die Milch vom Paradies.            -- Coleridge (tr. Politzer)

Received on Tuesday, 16 May 2000 13:21:55 UTC