Re: alternative topic proposal

[Norman Walsh <ndw@nwalsh.com>]

/ "Bob Stayton" <bobs@sagehill.net> was heard to say:
| If we also introduce the idea of topicref, then we are adding new
| capabilities to DocBook to assemble these modules into sequences and
| hierarchies.  The difference from XInclude is that a topicref  is
| resolved by an XSLT process, so the assembly process can actively
| filter and fix content rather than just copy it into place. That's a
| big gain in modular processing, if you need it.

Two points:

1. I'd rather not reinvent XInclude.

2. I think it's a mistake for the TC to assume any particular kind of
processor will be used to implement the processing expectations of
DocBook.

| If we were just adding topic and making it like article, then I would
| agree that it isn't much of a gain over article. But including the
| capability of smart assembly adds considerable power to the system if
| you are writing in a modular fashion.  If you are not doing modular
| writing, then this change should have no effect on your current
| practices.

That suggests to me that we don't need any new elements at all, we
just need some concept of a map. It further strikes me that it might
make more sense to wait until three or four or ten of them have been
invented before we try to do any standardization.

                                        Be seeing you,
                                          norm

-- 
Norman Walsh <ndw@nwalsh.com>      | Everything should be made as
http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/ | simple as possible, but no simpler.
Chair, DocBook Technical Committee |

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