Re: News from the ERB

In message <3.0.32.19970430162826.006e491c@pop.intergate.bc.ca> Tim Bray writes:
[...]
> 
> There are also a large number of new work items, all of them clearly of
> real importance, that would reward consideration.  These include:
>  - strong data typing
>  - data declaration facilities beyond the DTD
>  - linkage to behaviors

This is very exciting indeed.  I imagine it's too early for discussion, so 
a very general comment.  I have developed TecML/CML to support the technical 
and molecular communities and in its first (draft) phase it contained a number
of things like LINKS (I called them RELATIONs) and strong data typing.  The
pertinent thing is that as XML develops I can *remove* things from the CML
spec.  This is a Good Thing! I hope this can be taken as an indication that 
XML is moving in a very appropriate direction. 

I am assuming that these last three will allow greater formal interaction
between the 'DTD' or whatever it evolves to and the code (or behaviour?).
IOW at present I have to manually hack bits out of DTDs (and worse, out
of man pages related to them) and process them into the Java code.  [This is 
everything from 'is this element consistent with the content model of its 
parent?', to 'is this number in an allowed range?' and 'what happens when
this icon is clicked?']  

I look forward to the discussion drafts.

	P.

> 
> In related news, we also agreed to aim for new XML-lang and XML-link
> drafts by July 1.

I continue to be impressed by how much the ERB achieves.

	P.

-- 
Peter Murray-Rust, domestic net connection
Virtual School of Molecular Sciences
http://www.vsms.nottingham.ac.uk/

Received on Thursday, 1 May 1997 04:53:52 UTC