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RE: Standards (yet again) was RE: Use of XML ?

• From: "Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@i...>
• To: Dylan Walsh <Dylan.Walsh@K...>, xml-dev@l...
• Date: Thu, 02 Aug 2001 12:53:14 -0500

The issue I think is to limit the meaning such 
that process and meaning converge.  
Where specification and standard converge is 
the process of choosing choices.   A canvas of 
the dictionary only informs you that the 
ontology is quite loose.  You have to look 
beyond the definition to the intent of use.   

Only people have meaning.

Len Bullard
Intergraph Public Safety
clbullar@i...
http://www.mp3.com/LenBullard

Ekam sat.h, Vipraah bahudhaa vadanti.
Daamyata. Datta. Dayadhvam.h


-----Original Message-----
From: Dylan Walsh [mailto:Dylan.Walsh@K...]

I have taken a look at the definition of the noun "standard" in several
online dictionaries, and the idea of legal status / government approval
is not the only definition, and it is actually *hard to find* such
meaning listed (though it does appear in one example that I could find,
in relation to the King of England). I would contend that this looser
use of the term predates the ISO itself, so being "snooty" about people
using it is misguided. 

Therefore the onus falls on the pedants to qualify the word. For example
"defacto standard" (e.g. cars have four wheels), "consortium standard"
(e.g. W3C), "national standard" (e.g. ANSI), and "international
standard" (e.g. ISO). So I would not correct someone who said "it is the
standard in XML not to use all-uppercase tags", because that is the
practice I've found to be most widespread and the person is not misusing
the word. I might be inclined to add that there is no technical or legal
impediment to using all uppercase, but only for clarification.

The use of the term "specification" has been recommended here, but that
word does not convey the idea that it will be used by disparate groups.
"Standard" implies widely used or atleast widely known.

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