RE: Scheme Programming Reference

Subject: RE: Scheme Programming Reference
From: "Didier PH Martin" <martind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 19:36:27 -0400
Hi

Matthias said:
But since the sgml sources are online, shouldn't it be possible for us
to come up with a stylesheet that creates a nicer-looking version ?
OK, there may not be explicit indexing information in the source,
but an index of the syntax-productions should be doable without
touching the source.

Didier says:
This is a very good idea. Why not create a DSSSL script for the specs
themselves. This script could also be described in a document. So, we would
gain
a) a living example of what DSSSL can do
b) a DSSSL sample script
c) a documented script for people to learn from
d) a spec well formatted with index and table of content
e) answer to questions like: how do I do a table of content, or how do I do
an index.
f) your own perspective on: "what in it for us"

to take again an advertising "cliché" in a more productive context:

JUST DO IT!

I may not have the best English style in town but I have the drive, the will
to learn (English is not my native language), Always ready to learn from
good criticism, the discipline to write a bit every week, a passion to learn
DSSSL and improve it. So, I just did it!

This said:
What we need now is:
a) someone to do the DSSSL script or part of it. just to tell other which
part (table of content, index, etc...)
b) Discussion about it, so that we all learn with this common project. Let's
take this common project as a way to prefect our skills.
c) write about it, publish, discuss, make correction to text, start again
the interaction process,

Volunteers.

I still remember a sentence from JFK:
"Don't ask what the country can do for you, ask what you can do for the
country". Let's put it that way now:
"Don't ask what others can do for yourself, ask what you can do with other
so that you can help yourself and the others"

Now ROI:
a) cost: a couple hours or minutes per week.
b) return: a base script to start with on a new project (table of content,
index, etc...)
c) return: a documentation to refer to and the doc, includes living example.
d) return: a homework to improve our skills.

We'll be able to see the specs in a browser with:
a) Ralph's Hybrick (free) as soon as the plug-in is ready. Because its a
plug-in, it should be compatible with Netscape or Mozilla browser. You'll
have on top of this (Ralph correct me if I am wrong) XLink XPOinters
implementation, DSSSL FOs rendition and printing. HTTP (other protocols?)
and file protocols support, proxies supports. SGML and XML rendition.
b) Talva SGML/XML Kit (free) works only in Explorer. As its name implies it
renders SGML and XML documents. XML documents with or without catalogs or
DTD. The next version work with all protocols including proxies. The
document can be rendered "in place" inside the browser's window as:
HTML+CSS, RTF (with word viewer or Word), Tex. maybe with IBM tex viewer if
we can make it finally (we are doing test with IBM people)- it also mean
that if we can display the tex output with IBM viewer, we can not only see
the resultant output in the browser but also print the result.

Don't forget that both browser add-ons are free and freely available. It
means that we will be able  to render the specs in the browser, and print
it. So, two worlds: a) on-line rendition - b) printed material.


regards
Didier PH Martin
mailto:martind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.netfolder.com


 DSSSList info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/dsssl/dssslist


Current Thread