Re: [office-formula] Names/namespace: OpenFormula, calc, etc.

["Gary Edwards" <gary.edwards@OpenDocument.us>]

+1 OpenFormula
+1 current proposed prefix and namespace

Although i would prefer "OpenFormula" to "calc", i think the namespace consistency argument is important.

~ge~

On 7/15/06, David A. Wheeler <dwheeler@dwheeler.com> wrote:

OpenDocument makes it possible to have many different formula
languages, so we need to name the one we're developing.
We also need to id the namespace, and recommend the prefix for it.
We have proposals for all three.. are they okay?

1. Should we (continue) to call this language "OpenFormula"?
That was the name from the base document; I had expected the OASIS
spec to have a different name, but new good names are hard to come by.
I think we should NOT call it "OpenCalc", because people might confuse that
with the OpenOffice.org or StarOffice "Calc" implementations (which would
be esp. unfair to other implemenations).  One option is "OpenReCalc".
Others welcome, by all means post alternatives to the list!
A disadvantage of "OpenFormula" is that it could be confused with
a language for _displayed_ formulas (MathML's niche).  A big _advantage_
of "OpenFormula" is that it's the current name in the document and a lot
of people know about it.  If nobody cares, I guess I'd probably just keep
the name "OpenFormula", since it's the least-effort approach for all.
I do assert a trademark on OpenFormula, but
if the name sticks I will grant the trademark to OASIS or simply state that I no
longer assert such a trademark.  That legal stuff is necessary, because
OASIS rightfully doesn't allow 3rd parties to own trademarks on standards' names.

2. Is everyone content with the current proposed prefix and namespace?
The current draft recommends using the &#8220;calc:&#8221; prefix, and uses the
namespace &#8220;urn:oasis:names:tc:opendocument:xmlns:calc: 1.0&#8220;.
Older versions used the "formula:" prefix, but (1) that's too long and
(2) it could be confused with a display format.  The proposed namespace is
intentionally similar to the rest of the opendocument namespaces; the pre-OASIS
namespace was "http://www.openformula.org/spec/1.0/odf", but I think
that wouldn't appropriate (or acceptable) now that this is in OASIS.

Please complain now, or accept.  It can take a long time for external
documents/readers/etc. to adjust to a new name, so I'd rather freeze
the name NOW.  The namespace in particular is critical, because readers
won't be able to identify the format without the right name.

--- David A. Wheeler

-- 
Gary Edwards
The OpenDocument Foundation, Inc.
Redwood City, CA USA 94063
(650) 365-0899
(650) 888-2268 c.
gary.edwards@OpenDocument.us
http://OpendocumentFoundation.us

Founding member of the OASIS OpenDocument TC, representing the OpenOffice.org Community

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