- From: Eve L. Maler <elm@arbortext.com>
- Date: Mon, 28 Oct 1996 19:25:27 -0500
- To: cbullard@HiWAAY.net, Charles@sgmlsource.com
- Cc: Tim Bray <tbray@textuality.com>, w3c-sgml-wg@w3.org
I've been just watching the tennis match on this issue, and my allegiance
switches with every mail message. :-) Nonetheless, one small comment...
At 05:41 PM 10/28/96 -0600, Len Bullard wrote:
>Suppose the user doesn't include the DOCTYPE. The system implementor
>puts that on their list of exceptions to handle and either whacks the
>users kneecaps with a "Foreswear bad XML" or says nothing and goes on
>doing what they will do if it is there but no DTD is specified. What
>is the big deal? OTH, tell them that the DOCTYPE is optional and they
>will never do it. It isn't the laziness of the author that is at issue.
>It is the laziness of the programmer and the conformance of the system.
>Even HTML application users are learning it's a good idea to put the
>DOCTYPE in there. The large numbers that don't says more about the
>levels of practicioners out there and the systems they use, not the
>validity of the practice.
Perhaps they're learning that it's a good idea to use the DOCTYPE
declaration because they're pointing to various *different* HTMLs. A
DOCTYPE declaration of <!DOCTYPE foo SYSTEM> tells you nothing other
than (repetitiously) the root element's name, whereas an FPI at least
points you to a specific intended DTD.
Eve
Received on Monday, 28 October 1996 19:23:55 UTC