[xsl] forgetting SGML (was Re: Newbie encoding query)

Subject: [xsl] forgetting SGML (was Re: Newbie encoding query)
From: Mike Brown <mike@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2002 11:04:30 -0700 (MST)
DPawson@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> David C said.
> > the HEAD _element_ is not optional it has to be there.
> > The DTD says the content model for HTML is:
> > 
> > > <!ENTITY % html.content "HEAD, BODY">
> > 
> > However because it _must_ be there, the system can tell it's there
> > without you needing to put any tags in, so both the start and end tag
> > may be omitted.
> 
> Wow. Isn't it amazing how easy the SGML world is forgotten!

And that's a bad thing?

When I started messing with markup in 1993-94, I was using HTML (pre-2.0) to
provide enhanced versions of Gopher menus for Mosaic users. I started using
both XML and XSL in 1999, like many of the other 'old-timers' on this list. I
doubt I'm in the minority here when I say I've never had any significant
exposure to SGML -- and from what I've seen of SGML, I'm quite content with my
ignorance! :)

Besides, isn't it one of the (perhaps post-facto) points of HTML and
especially XML to simplify SGML a bit, thereby enabling its widespread
adoption by people like me, who find the idea of using or producing tools for
processing SGML daunting enough to make them avoid SGML altogether?

Mike

-- 
  Mike J. Brown   |  http://skew.org/~mike/resume/
  Denver, CO, USA |  http://skew.org/xml/

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