RE: About XML to multiple language/multiple outputs

["Didier PH Martin" <martind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I didn't noticed at first sight, that Frank Christoph was working for Next
Solutions (provider of DSSSL Print - a commercial product based on DSSSL)
and that therefore DSSSL-2 could have a lot of impact on commercial ventures
based on DSSSL. This is probably why he expressed some legitimate fear on
DSSSL-2 (I hope this was the motive and not less noble ones).

First, like Brandon said, do not worry about the ISO process. It is a
process well organized and nothing will be thrown out without careful
attention from ISO members. The first step we are taking is to aggregate all
the knowledge we gained in the last 5 years. Also, to aggregate the
knowledge now found outside of DSSSL and now part of some W3C
recommendations. All this knowledge is useful and should be synthesized, and
made "explicit" as much as possible in a document.

secondly: after a certain time where people will be able to make comments on
this document (not yet an official ISO document but a work document on which
further ISO work could be done), a draft specification document will be
published to be commented by ISO members.

third: After some comments round, the document can be published as "draft"
for public comments and go through the ballot process where ISO members will
comment and vote on the specification acceptance.

throughout the process, a careful attention should be given to conformance
with other ISO specifications (in that case, with Hytime in particular and
recently with ISMID). For instance, the impact for any property set
modification or addition may have an impact on Hytime specifications, also
any modifications to the query language may have major impact to SDQL used
by both ISMID and Hytime. In all cases, at least, backward compatibility has
to be preserved.

We are actually only at the first step, assembling the knowledge to prepare
the first draft. This requires enormous work (this requires a lot of
synthesis, and knowledge of a lot of specifications and constant attention
to unfulfilled needs expressed from the community). This knowledge will be
then translated form "tacit" to "explicit" in the form of a document. This
is why, expressing needs: unfulfilled or with higher cost than expected are
useful to the process.

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


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