Re: [office-formula] Groups - OpenDocument-formula-20091202 (OpenDocument-formula-20091202.odt) uploaded

[Patrick Durusau <patrick@durusau.net>]

Eike,

Comments below:

Eike Rathke wrote:
> Hi Patrick,
>
> On Thursday, 2009-12-03 16:49:02 +0000, Patrick Durusau wrote:
>
>   
>> First of the structural changes (moved conformance clause to last place
>> before annexes) and corrected hanging paragraphs. 
>>     
>
> In section 6.12 you inserted 6.12.1 General, removed the sentence about
> DOLLAR, which is correct, but also removed the sentence about the Basis
> parameter and its cross reference, which is necessary for these
> functions. I'll add that again so it doesn't get lost, though the
> phrasing "Many functions ..." may need improvement.
>
>   
Well, there are two questions (in general but we will make them specific 
here):

1) Do we need to talk about basis?

2) If yes, where should we talk about it?

Answers:

1) Yes, for financial functions we need to talk about basis. OK, so go 
to #2 (This may sound silly but the questions can have complex and 
interdependent answers.)

2) Where to talk about basis?

General rule: As close to where the reader is going to need the 
information, except that if it is repeated (I can think of some nearly 
10,000 page standards that did this) we can either repeat it every time 
it comes up, or we can just say it once.

What did we do here?

Well, we do say something about basis, as an off hand statement with a 
cross-reference in a general section. I agree that basis is *important* 
so I would give it a separate section.

Do we talk about it elsewhere?

Well, yes, yes we do: See 6.12.2 ACCRINT for example. We say:

> /basis/ The type of day-count basis to use; see section 4.10.6
>
Ouch! So not only do we say it in general under 6.12.1 but we repeat it 
under all the functions where it is in question.

This was my question the other day about calling information out to be 
said once and only once.

For example, we could add a Financial Functions Variables Section 
immediately after 6.12.1 and list all the variable for financial 
functions (assuming their meanings never change) once for all financial 
functions.

Noting that if we ever have to correct one of them, it is corrected in 
one place and one place only.

 *
* *

Is that how you do in ASCII the conclusion symbol from geometry? ;-)

Therefore, I would urge you to *not* add the general basis material back 
in, at least not at that location. Further, consider what it would look 
like to see all the variables for a set of functions (not just these) in 
one location. These are not being written as a tutorial for spreadsheet 
users.

Hope you are looking forward to a great weekend!

Patrick


>   Eike
>
>   

-- 
Patrick Durusau
patrick@durusau.net
Chair, V1 - US TAG to JTC 1/SC 34
Convener, JTC 1/SC 34/WG 3 (Topic Maps)
Editor, OpenDocument Format TC (OASIS), Project Editor ISO/IEC 26300
Co-Editor, ISO/IEC 13250-1, 13250-5 (Topic Maps)