three or four spinoff discussions

["Ogden, Jeff" <jogden@ptc.com>]

During today’s DITA TC call as we were reviewing the TOC for DITA 1.2 documentation, we came up with three or four spin off discussion items:

 

1.       Is the approach outlined in the proposed DITA 1.2 documentation TOC a good approach?

The proposed TOC is available here:  http://wiki.oasis-open.org/dita/Draft_1.2_TOC

The assumption is that we are on the right track, but please speak up if you disagree or if you have other suggestions.

There probably won’t bee too much more discussion of this topic unless someone speaks up.

 

2.       Is the scope of DITA 1.2 as it is shaping up too large? Is the DITA specification becoming too complex?

Looking at the proposed additions to the DITA 1.2 documentation TOC is one way to get a feel for the number and size of the additions. One thought is that if most of the additions are outside of the core specification, that that is a good sign, and if there are a lot of additions or exceptions being made to the core specification, that that is a bad sign. Each person will have their own idea of how much is too much, but there is a concern on some people’s part that the DITA standard is already fairly complex and with the proposed DITA 1.2 additions it is getting more complex.

 

3.       What does it mean when we say that an implementation supports the DITA standard? Is the entire standard required or are some parts optional?

Michael sent out a note that outlines his thinking on this with the subject “Specialization support: a core philosophical issue”.

See:  http://www.oasis-open.org/archives/dita/200710/msg00002.html

 

4.       How much flexibility do specializers have to make exceptions to behaviors that are outlined in the DITA standard?

This is a spin off from issue 12055, but it is also related to item #3 above.  I’ll send out another message later today or tomorrow to outline the issue.

 

I think it would be reasonable for discussion of these items to continue via e-mail to the DITA TC list.

 

I expect that Don will put items 2, 3, and 4 on the agenda for the weekly DITA TC calls as time permits.

 

    -Jeff