Re: Standardized Apache DTD

Chris Riley wrote:
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> We are in the middle of a project to build an OpenSource XML based ,
> administration tool for Apache. I've seen  early posts discussing
> possible approaches but nothing to indicate a consensus. We'd hate to
> re-invent the wheel if a DTD has already been established.  Does anyone
> know if there is a project underway addressing a standardized DTD for
> Apache Administration and it's status? Are there others interested in
> collaborating on an effort such as this?

Most of the Apache people I talked to about this (myself included)
believe that creating a DTD for Apache configurations is nonsense, given
the intrinsic modularity of the software.

Also, the XML platform (mean XML + associated languages and
specifications) is not yet complete to support orthogonal operation of
namespaces. As it stands today, namespaces can't be used coherently with
DTDs, unless your DTD includes all possible combinations.

Our idea was to create a meta-configuration (thus the name of the list,
RDF) language to allow tools like Comanche to "interpret" the XML
configurations. Sort of XSchema, sort of SGML architectural forms, sort
of a GUI creation language.

A lot of everything.

Unfortunately, none of us is focused on GUI applications (but Daniel, I
guess) and Apache 2.0 fails to come up shortly, so... we haven't figured
out anything that is going to work.

I haven't lost my faith, mind you, but I think XML is not _ready_ (yet)
for such a thing, but I welcome trials in this sense, they could prove
me wrong and I'd be happy to be so in this case :)

-- 
Stefano Mazzocchi      One must still have chaos in oneself to be
                          able to give birth to a dancing star.
<stefano@apache.org>                             Friedrich Nietzsche
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Received on Monday, 10 January 2000 11:34:12 UTC