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RE: Who will maintain SAX?

• From: "Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@i...>
• To: "Simon St.Laurent" <simonstl@s...>, xml-dev@x...
• Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2000 10:00:33 -0500

Simon sez: 

>So how exactly do you explain the widespread support for SAX in pretty much
>every parser, even those from the 'big boys'?  I don't see them labeling
>SAX as a private experimental API in their docs.

>Some days I wonder if the bias toward institutions is just built into the
>SGML way, or if maybe it's just my life as an independent consultant that
>gives me a different perspective on the (low) value of such things.

Because an event-based callback parser is a 
requirement.  It could have come from anywhere, 
but getting it here saved a lot of hassle.  Your 
perspective may be based on that.

When something is first offered and easy to adopt, they 
adopt it.  It's cheaper to let this list 
do that work and it is the right thing to do because 
it is experimental.  But not when it comes time to 
extend it. That is when each decision has the most 
impact on the codebase and responsible vendors 
protect their customers.  Otherwise, we are back 
to Sun Owns Java, Adobe Owns PDF and so on.  You 
get a PAS (publicly accessible specification) instead 
of an openly developed specification.  

What I said, "At this juncture..." has to do 
with lifecycle requirements.  What is required 
now, in my opinion, is a defined process, a credible 
institution, and the capacity of the institution to 
engage multiple issues and direct the work.  It is 
committee work now.  SAX is stable but if opened 
to political agendas, that future becomes uncertain. 
Faced with uncertainty, the "big guys" will seek a 
means to reduce that and when they control the 
consortia, that isn't hard to do.  It's as easy 
as taking SGML and renaming it XML, then telling 
the world they invented it. See XML Magazine, 
Fall 2000, Vol 1, No 4: Who's Open Now? Sean 
Gallagher: "Considering that Sun essentially 
claims to have invented XML..."

Let's pass on the SGML bias stuff.  XML is SGML.  
Trying to make it seem otherwise is populist flame bait.  
It may stir the list up but if it can be stirred by 
that after this long engaging the issues, then 
that provides the precise example for why 
institutions typically manage specifications 
after they have been broadly accepted.

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: Simon St.Laurent [mailto:simonstl@s...]

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