Re: [oiic-formation-discuss] Reason and example arguing for the use of an ODF (or XML) canonical form

["Dave Pawson" <dave.pawson@gmail.com>]

2008/7/12 Radoslav Dejanović <radoslav.dejanovic@opsus.hr>:

>> For extensions I favour the requirement that when a user invokes a feature
>> which creates an extension, he/she is warned about it?
>> "Hey, this will extend the standard" or something.
>> That way you know what you're doing? No excuses. Sometimes the feature
>> will be needed, but it's a user choice. No more vendor lock-in by the back door.
>
> I wouldn't bet on customers. They don't care, they just want to get
> their work done. If it is done by using non-standard extension - well,
> to hell with standards! A warning is not a deterrent - users will simply
> ignore them, and software vendor can simply omit such warnings,

That's the compliance failure. My proposal was that the standard
require ( a 'shall' statement) that users be warned.
If the user chooses to use the extension great. His / her choice.
That gives Oasis a chance to find out what's being used regularly
hence should be considered for addition to the standard.



> And again, "Some Office" will not display a warning box because there's
> no force of this world that would force them to warn their users that
> there's a compatibility problem with that extension they've made.

Which is a simple non-compliance.



regards



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