Re: [tm-pubsubj] Recommendations for PubSubj Documentation - version0.2

[Murray Altheim <murray.altheim@sun.com>]

Murray Altheim wrote:
[...]
> I'm still unconvinced that a new syntax is necessary, or even a good
> idea. I don't want to stand in the way of progress if I'm the only
> person who feels this way, but I continue to think that recommending
> metadata additions to XHTML (but still within XHTML's syntax) is the
> kind of thing that (a) doesn't require new syntax, its development,
> promulgation, and acceptance, (b) doesn't require new tools, documentation,
> or education, and (c) is simple and already exists.
> 
> Last year I published a recommendation on adding metadata (Dublin Core,
> in fact, though any would be possible) to XHTML documents. I think some
> parts of this spec could be useful for the PubSubj TC's needs:
> 
>    http://www.doctypes.org/meta/NOTE-xhtml-augmeta.html
> 
> I just think we're going to get an uphill battle trying to get anyone
> to use a new syntax when we have at least three (XTM, XHTML and RDF)
> that could serve in this capacity.

Not to beat this about the head and shoulders, but I forgot to add my
main point: what benefit is there in creating a new syntax for PSI 
documentation if the main viewers of such documentation require 
specialized tools? Ie., if a web browser can't view the documentation, 
what good is it as documentation for essentially web-based 
technologies whose viewers are generally a web audience, and isn't it
actually counterproductive to create a new markup language for documents
that few except experts have the editing tools to create? I've not yet
heard the arguments in favour of it.

Murray

...........................................................................
Murray Altheim                         <mailto:murray.altheim&#x40;sun.com>
XML Technology Center, Java and XML Software
Sun Microsystems, Inc., MS MPK17-102, 1601 Willow Rd., Menlo Park, CA 94025

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