Re: [docbook] How to display a directory tree

[Rune Enggaard Lausen <rune@enggaard-lausen.dk>]

John L. Clark wrote:
> Tangentially, this brings up a slight nit that I have with DocBook.  I
> think that the variablelist element is misnamed.  I think the idea of
> the "definition list" that is present in HTML is a closer fit to the
> common uses of this type of list.  In a hypothetical definition list,
> one could still "define" variables (and so we can still represent
> variable lists), but we can also "define" anything that requires
> defining (such as the structure of a directory in this case).  But of
> course, such a change would be Significantly Backwards Incompatible(tm).

I interpret the word "variable" as referring to the fact that the 
"item indicator" is not fixed. In itemizedlist they are "fixed" in the 
sense that they are always a kind of bullet. In orderedlist they are 
"fixed" in the sense that they are always a kind of number. In 
variablelist the author herself decides what the indicator is.

Don't know if this interpretation was the original intent, but it 
helps me explain the name to new users at work :-)

Best regards,

	Rune Lausen