- From: Paul Prescod <papresco@calum.csclub.uwaterloo.ca>
- Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 12:07:02 -0500
- To: dgd@cs.bu.edu (David G. Durand), W3C SGML Working Group <w3c-sgml-wg@w3.org>
At 11:41 AM 11/15/96 -0500, David G. Durand wrote: > > It's been undone. However, we have now got the wrong decision and for >craven political reasons. We have endorsed a known design flaw, that WG8 >already intends to remove, solely to avoid disturbing people by the timing >of our announcement. We try to stay within SGML for the same reason that people try to obey laws, because we want others to. Most people agree that there are sometimes good reasons for ignoring standards, and for breaking laws, but it generally takes a Really Good Reason. But standards, like laws, are not set in stone. When our "SGML Constitution" is amended, we will have more latitude to correct this flaw without seeming to disregard the importance of standards. Ignoring SGML in XML would send out a message about what we *really* think of standards, and would weaken our moral authority. It's like when a cop speeds past you at double the speed limit and turns into a donut shop. I strongly suspect that all *validating* XML parsers are going to be based on SGML parsers in the short term anyhow, so this restriction would still have been in force, in practice. Between you and me, if you don't intend to use these validating XML parsers, then you can have as many overlapping attribute values in your instances as you like. Netscape and IE are certainly not going to report an error! Paul Prescod --- Boycott Shell Oil worldwide! http://www.web.apc.org/embargo/shell.htm "Shell is here on trial and it is as well that it is represented by counsel said to be holding a watching brief."..."The ecological war that the Company has waged in the Delta will be called to question sooner than later." -Ken Saro-Wiwa to the tribunal that later executed him. http://www.goldmanprize.org/goldman/ken.html
Received on Friday, 15 November 1996 12:12:13 UTC