Re: [docbook] Feedback on DocBook Transclusion proposal

[Dave Pawson <davep@dpawson.co.uk>]

On Wed, 15 Dec 2010 19:29:34 +0100
Jirka Kosek <jirka@kosek.cz> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> during last few months DocBook TC spent serious time discussing and
> working on solution for the following RFE (Ability to transclude
> text):
> 
> http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&aid=2820947&group_id=21935&atid=384107
> 
> As a part of this process we gathered set of requirements for
> transclusion mechanism which is available at:
> 
> http://docbook.org/docs/transclusion-requirements/
> 
> Also DocBook TC created proposal which tries to resolve problems
> mentioned in the original RFE together with some additional
> requirements that appeared along the way:
> 
> http://docbook.org/docs/transclusion/
> 
> At this stage DocBook TC is looking forward for feedback from DocBook
> users and from implementers of DocBook tools.

Reading the requirements and Jirkas response, I was all in favour. 


Then from Norms blog I read
http://norman.walsh.name//2010/12/15/transclusion
"Will vendors implement it? "

I had thought that this was implementable using docbook stylesheets?
is that the case? If not, has implementation been considered?
If not then perhaps Norm is right with his other concern

"My other concern is more vague. This feels like something more general
than DocBook, it seems like something that other schemas might want to
reuse, so I wonder if it belongs in DocBook specifically. I suppose if
authors want it and vendors will implement it, we can let other folks
copy it."

I agree about its complexity, perhaps a W3C attitude of 'show me an
implementation then I'll give it a mark of approval' might be
appropriate? I.e. if it proves to be too complex we might need to look
for an alternative?



-- 

regards 

-- 
Dave Pawson
XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
http://www.dpawson.co.uk