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Re: constructive (was RE: Markup perspective not cod

• To: xml-dev@l...
• Subject: Re: constructive (was RE: Markup perspective not code)
• From: "Simon St.Laurent" <simonstl@s...>
• Date: Sat, 03 Aug 2002 22:27:24 -0400
• In-reply-to: <VQNJHGAUQOKOMYXQMGRLTOA9VQLIQM.3d4bfd95@MChamp>
• References: <4.2.0.58.20020803085219.014c7fc8@p...>

At 11:58 AM 8/3/2002 -0400, Mike Champion wrote:
>[Sorry, but I love the parallel with A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ:
>Uncontrolled technology leads to a Flame Deluge, followed by a
>Great Simplification, with the Memorabilia of the markup age
>preserved in the Abbey of St. Laurent in trust for a future
>era that can appreciate it ... which will in turn pervert
>that  knowledge, leading to another uncontrolled
>technology boom, leading to yet another Flame Deluge ...
>Sic transit XML.   <sickly grin>  ]

Sic transit gloria mundi.  Fortunately (or not), I rarely write down my 
grocery lists.

>So far, the only consensus of the smaller groups I've seen is that XML (in
>all its monumental complexity) [expletive deleted].  Whenever they try to figure out what
>to do about it, they immediately fragment into those who want to
>recreate a "W3C" and do it over again, those who want to find a proper subset
>of the XML specs and promote them, those who want to fight guerilla wars
>without any formal organization or ties to XML, those who want to emigrate
>back to SGML, etc.

Yep.  That's a natural process, messy as always.  My suspicion is that 
sooner or later something will emerge and people will be ready for it.  I 
expect it'll be a few years coming, and in the meantime it's best to simply 
speak frankly.  The more people hear about problems and alternative 
solutions, the more likely I think they'll be to consider the problems 
themselves.  That may make me Cassandra but I don't mind waiting a while 
for the sparks to catch.


Simon St.Laurent
"Every day in every way I'm getting better and better." - Emile Coue

• References:
  • constructive (was RE: Markup perspective not code)
    • From: "Simon St.Laurent" <simonstl@s...>
  • Re: constructive (was RE: Markup perspective notcode)
    • From: Mike Champion <mc@x...>

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