Re: Choosing namespaces syntax for MathML

Someone should write an XML editor that can detect when element and
attribute names from multiple contexts in a document conflict. If they
don't the contexts could be auto-hidden (just visually - not in a
file-format way). In the case of conflicts, the two (or n) conflicting
element names could be prefixed.

On 12/13/06, juanrgonzaleza@canonicalscience.com
<juanrgonzaleza@canonicalscience.com> wrote:
>
>
> This is generic for any XML, but i think that question of readability of
> namespaces is vital in languages with a higher ratio markup/content as
> MathML is.
>
> MathML with prefix namespaces
>
> <mml:math>
>   <mml:apply>
>     <mml:times/>
>     <mml:ci>a</mml:ci>
>     <mml:apply>
>       <mml:plus/>
>       <mml:ci>b</mml:ci>
>       <mml:ci>c</mml:ci>
>     </mml:apply>
>   </mml:apply>
> </mml:math>
>
> the same with postfix
>
> <math:mml>
>   <apply:mml>
>     <times:mml/>
>     <ci:mml>a</ci:mml>
>     <apply:mml>
>       <plus:mml/>
>       <ci:mml>b</ci:mml>
>       <ci:mml>c</ci:mml>
>     </apply:mml>
>   </apply:mml>
> </math:mml>
>
> whereas XML cannot be changed in this way, I am open to offer both a
> prefix or a postfix notation in a CanonML module used as input syntax for
> MathML.
>
> [MML:MATH
>   [MML:APPLY
>     [MML:TIMES]
>     [MML:CI a]
>     [MML:APPLY
>       [MML:PLUS]
>       [MML:CI b]
>       [MML:CI c]
>     ]
>   ]
> ]
>
> versus
>
> [MATH:MML
>   [APPLY:MML
>     [TIMES:MML]
>     [CI:MML a]
>     [APPLY:MML
>       [PLUS:MML]
>       [CI:MML b]
>       [CI:MML c]
>     ]
>   ]
> ]
>
> IMO the problem of readability of the XML default prefix form is that the
> beggining of tags looks equal and you need to read first 2-4 tokens before
> noticing differences between tags somewhat as
>
> <verylargetaga>
> <verylargetagb>
> <verylargetagb>
> <verylargetaga>
> <verylargetaga>
> <verylargetagc>
> <verylargetagb>
>
> is more difficult than
>
> <averylargetag>
> <bverylargetag>
> <bverylargetag>
> <averylargetag>
> <averylargetag>
> <cverylargetag>
> <bverylargetag>
>
> What is your opinion prefix or postfix?
>
>
>
>


-- 
http://chris.chiasson.name/

Received on Wednesday, 13 December 2006 10:50:24 UTC