- From: B. Tommie Usdin <btusdin@mulberrytech.com>
- Date: Thu, 19 Jun 1997 14:07:23 -0400
- To: "Eve L. Maler" <elm@arbortext.com>
- Cc: w3c-sgml-wg@w3.org
>The ERB, in its meeting yesterday, discussed the issue of parameter >entities in XML. We are *strongly* leaning towards voting to remove >parameter entities entirely *from V1.0* ... It seems to me that is really a political question, or perhaps a theological one. Removing PEs from XML will make it a much poorer language. It will also make it a simpler language. Allowing GI name groups will not significantly ameliorate the reduction in functionality caused by the loss of parameter entities. The gain in simplicity may outweigh the loss of functionality. The reduced functionality may, itself, be considered a benefit, since it will force many applications over the line into full SGML. Perhaps this is a good strategy for ensuring that users will use XML as the famous "on-ramp" to SGML instead of sticking with XML. If the intent is for XML to be used as an interchange form in environments with robust applications and complex data structures (created as an output form from SGML), then I think there is no problem with removing parameter entities. If the intent is for people to create and maintain complex structures in XML, I think removing parameter entities would be unfortunate. I don't care for the implication that GI name groups substitute for parameter entities. If XML doesn't have parameter entities we'll all cope, but the decision should be a clean one, about parameter entities and the way their presence or absence will affect how XML meets its goals. GI name groups are a Red Herring, or at least an insignificant sop, in this discussion. -- Tommie ====================================================================== B. Tommie Usdin Phone: 301/231-6934 Mulberry Technologies, Inc. Fax: 301/231-6935 6010 Executive Blvd., Suite 608 E-mail: btusdin@mulberrytech.com Rockville, MD 20852 WWW: http://www.mulberrytech.com ======================================================================
Received on Thursday, 19 June 1997 14:40:56 UTC