Version names in XML

• From: Rick Jelliffe <ricko@topologi.com>
• Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2002 16:01:30 +1000
• To: <xml-editor@w3.org>
• Message-ID: <00e301c22fb2$e4780430$4bc8a8c0@AlletteSystems.com>

The horse has bolted for XML 1.0 implementations, so clarifying that
an XML 1.0 implementation should barf when faced with another number
will not cause trouble, I expect.

However, I suggest that for future versions of XML the Core WG adopt
three part version numbers:
   major.minor.tweak
with the policy that an XML processor 
  *must* reject a major version number it doesn't know about
  *should* reject a minor number it doesn't know about
  *must not* reject a tweak number if it knows the major and minor

If processors have this policy in place, it would give the WG a richer
vocabulary to work with, and therefore greater flexibility and compatability,
for future versions.

So, to extract the requirement, I think the WG should adopt some numbering
policy for non 1.0 versions of XML which gives them enough flexibility
to maintain and evolve XML with least disruption.

Cheers
Rick Jelliffe

Received on Saturday, 20 July 2002 01:47:40 UTC