Re: [docbook] DocBook Technical Committee Meeting Minutes: 18 Mar2003

[Tobias Reif <tobiasreif@pinkjuice.com>]

ed nixon wrote:


>> Regarding another point you raised in a previous post:
>> AFAICS, the question "Users vs. Implementers" doesn't pose itself. 
> 
> Of course, it's hard for a question to pose itself, so I'll pose it: 
> what (semantic?) functionality or flexibility (if any) is being *lost* 
> by dropping the CALS model in favour of the XHTML table model?


I think you misunderstood me. I didn't say "functionality or flexibility 
  is being *lost*". I also did not propose or request to exclude the 
CALS table model. I simply want to see the XHTML table model included in 
DocBook, and I think that it would be good for many authors, and also 
for implementers, which in turn can have benefits for users. "Users" 
include current and potential future users.

Six of eight members of the TC agree; they said they are "willing to 
include XHTML tables in DocBook" [1].


> Again, the words "many users want..." crops up, but the discussion on 
> the list doesn't seem to warrant that typification.


 From the minutes:
(stuff in []s is inserted by me)

"Norm argues that the mental transition from XHTML to CALS is
significant and a body of users [seems to mean s.th. like "many users"] 
would find DocBook easier to learn if they didn't have to make that 
transition.
[...]
Nancy: I think we've had a new data point, the users have asked us 
[probably not just two] and so I think the users have demonstrated that 
it's important."

Also IIRC there were some posts where users/authors thought it would be 
a good idea, but saw problems regarding related issues such as 
copy'n'paste from XHTML docs etc.


Tobi

[1] From the minutes:
| Straw Poll: Are you willing to include XHTML tables in DocBook along
| the lines of Paul's earlier proposed DTD changes?
|
| Steve Cogorno   N
| Paul Grosso     Y
| Dick Hamilton   Y
| Nancy Harrison  Y
| Scott Hudson    Y
| Mark Johnson    Y (with reservations)
| Bob Stayton     Y
| Norman Walsh    abstain

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