Re: [oiic-formation-discuss] (1)(f) and (1)(g) -- audience and workinglanguage

[Shawn <sgrover@open2space.com>]

Dave Pawson wrote:
>> On presentation:
>> Touching on the points raised before about presentation, I think that in the
>> dawning age of the semantic Web 3.0 (there, after resisting for so long I've
>> finally said it), where data takes precedence over form, I believe our
>> interop efforts should if anything sacrifice 'pixel perfect' rendering for
>> data integrity if necessary.
> 
> -1, since an end subjective user assessment is key IMHO.
> Pixel perfect is nearly impossible, agreed, but presentation has been proposed
> as important and I agree. If we can't define it, scope it and explain
> how to test it
> then it gets deferred. Until then I'd like to see it remain.

Not sure if this is pertinent right this moment but.....

Most of the presentation problems I have seen when viewing document A on 
computers A and B have been font issues.  Granted I notice this MUCH 
more with MS Office docs on a Linux system with Open Office.  Often the 
needed fonts are not found, so the system defaults get used, and these 
are often slightly different in sizes.  Resulting in paragraphs, 
headings, etc, being different sizes.  I've seen the same issue with ODF 
documents opened on different boxes that had different default fonts 
installed.  (more usually where a specific font was chosen on the 
original system..)

My question is how do we address the "interoperability" issue with 
regards to presentation, if we cannot guarantee the same fonts will be 
available.  Do we make that a condition of testing - all tested 
platforms have the testing font available?  But does that become a 
meaningless test for an end user who encounters this but is not aware of 
the issue?  After all the document will look different, so the 
"interoperability" test will be a failure for that user.  (as a 
tech/developer, I see obvious answers here - i.e. install the font.  But 
to the general public/end user, this may not be so obvious.)

My apologies if this is off track right now.  But the idea occurred to 
me with the discussion of presentation, and I wanted to get it expressed 
before I forgot about it.

Shawn