Re: Multi-headed indirect links

At 07:26 AM 1/21/97 -0600, len bullard wrote:
>Martin Bryan wrote:
>> 
>> Given that nobody other than myself seems to be interested in indirect
>> links, and that for direct links the only form that is getting any support
>> is that of an opaque string, I ask myself whether the XML community has any
>> interest in having multiheaded links? 
>
>I thought everyone was interested in multiheaded links (if I understand 
>that correctly).  What I notice is that no design has emerged from 
>the discussion.  I see the same standoff that has existed between 
>HyTime and TEI proponents for a number of years now.

This is simply not in any way true.  The ERB is well under way in adapting
my stickman proposal into a formal first draft of the XML Link discussion.
This proposal (the only complete one provided by anyone in this discussion)
includes the use of both URLs and TEI extended pointers.  I trust Tim and
Steve to do an excellent job of creating a short, readable, and complete
design that satisfies the requirements expressed in these discussions,
including the needs for both simplicity and convenience and sophistication
and flexibility.  At least within the ERB, the general design approach
appears to be remarkably uncontroversial.

As I have tried to make clear on any number of occasions, *there is no
inherent conflict between HyTime and the TEI specification*.  The two are
quite synergistic: HyTime provides a general framework for structuring
hypermedia and TEI provides additional structuring and descriptive
semantics, as well as a very useful addressing notation that is well suited
to the intended XML audience.  And remember that nothing in the XML spec
will *preclude* the use of other mechanisms.  All the XML link spec will do
is define a set of *required* semantics that all XML processors should
provide.  But if you want to do things that the XML link spec doesn't
account for (like use additional HyTime facilities or SDQL queries or
whatever) you're certainly free to. 

With the HyTime TC, it will, in all likelihood, be possible to define the
*current* TEI design, in its entirety, as a conforming HyTime application
without the need to modify anything about the design itself.  

Cheers,

E.
--
W. Eliot Kimber (eliot@isogen.com) 
Senior SGML Consulting Engineer, Highland Consulting
2200 North Lamar Street, Suite 230, Dallas, Texas 75202
+1-214-953-0004 +1-214-953-3152 fax
http://www.isogen.com (work) http://www.drmacro.com (home)
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re-educated soon..."                 --Austin Lounge Lizards, "1984 Blues"

Received on Tuesday, 21 January 1997 09:57:20 UTC