Re: DD: Expanded outline for DSSSL Handbook

Subject: Re: DD: Expanded outline for DSSSL Handbook
From: Sebastian Rahtz <s.rahtz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 12:07:12 +0100 (BST)
 > David Pawson has further expanded upon John Fieber's original outline,
 > and has tagged a skeletal document in DocBook.  The outline is shown

i like it (mostly). i guess all you need now is to maintain a list
of who is writing what. for that purpose it would help to
identify sections, so that someone can say `I bagsy #456, i will
deliver by June 18'. Practically all of the book would fit the `essay'
format in the first instance.

 >  - How to read and use the DSSSL standard document

i think this is in the wrong place. it should be at the start or the
end. i'd delegate it to a section in the introduction. and at this
point i'd present or reference the indices of Harvey Bingham.

 >  - Stylesheet design strategies
..
 >  - Analyzing the DTD
..
 >  - Parameterizing the stylesheet
 > 
 >  - Stylesheet Design Patterns / more complex examples
 > 
 >  - Modular stylesheets
I am not sure i like the order here. I prefer

 Making stylesheets
  - analyzing the DTD
  - design strategies
  - parameterization
  - modularity
 Complex style sheet examples

 >  - Bits and Pieces
seems a mixture here of describing the flow objects, and dealing with
problem areas. i'd prefer something like

 DSSSL techniques
  - modes
  - space handling
  - transformation in the style language

 The DSSSL flow objects
   - pages
   - paragraphs
   - rules
   - math
  ...  etc etc
 
 Real-world problems and their solutions
   - lists
   - cross-referencing
   - generated text
   - indexing
   ... etc

I also think we need a new section which specifically deals with
Jade's non-standard SGML backend. It is clearly an area which has
stimulated many people on this list, and it is meeting a real
need. For instance, Norm Walsh's question today about automating links
really needs a

 a) a discussion of the principles involved
 b) a discussion of the tools available in DSSSL
 c) a complete example solution

(this would also of course be rather useful for the deliver of this
DD....)

QUESTIONS
---------

who will complete this outline? David Pawson, John Fieber or Tony
Graham? I suggest one of those three finalize it, and reissue the SGML
structure, with IDs so that someone can track what is and what is not
done. I don't think its that hard to see what a work unit is.

does anyone volunteer to write a trivial .dsl to make this HTML for
initial viewing?

would it make sense to post a catalogue of work units, and ask anyone
who thinks they can write to indicate which ones they will take on?
then correlate a proposed work schedule?

Sebastian

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