Changed distribution:? was Re: [sc34wg3] Let's revert to N323!

[Steve Pepper]

At 06:23 03.02.2003 -0500, Patrick Durusau wrote:
>I have read both N0323 and N0372

Excellent! Would that others would do the same!

>and wondered if you could illustrate the difference you mention as:
>...
>>(ii) We rearranged the distribution of content between the SAM and the
>>      syntax parts.
>>
>>According to Lars Marius (the editor and primus motor behind both the SAM
>>and the XTM syntax specification) the latter decision screws things up for
>>him in a major way. We should take this very seriously.
>
>I am assuming by "syntax" parts you mean XTM and/or HyTM. Can you say a 
>little more about how N0372 changes that allocation? It may be too early 
>(US time) but I am not seeing the distinction you mention between N0323 
>and N0372.

N372 splits the two components of the XTM specification across two 
documents: The syntax specification itself is proposed as an annex to ISO 
13250, whereas the deserialization syntax is an annex to the SAM.

The original plan was to have both parts in one document (of which N328 
http://www.y12.doe.gov/sgml/sc34/document/0328.htm is the current draft).

Lars Marius has pointed out that this is illogical and also means having to 
redo a lot of work. In addition, it leads us to repeating the mistake we 
made in the original 13250 of defining topic maps in terms of an 
interchange syntax rather than a data model. (ISO 13250 would stand as the 
primary definition of Topic Maps but would not include the data model, 
which N372 suggests should be in a separate standard.)

Hope this clarifies things.

Steve

--
Steve Pepper, Chief Executive Officer <pepper@ontopia.net>
Convenor, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC34/WG3  Editor, XTM (XML Topic Maps)
Ontopia AS, Waldemar Thranes gt. 98, N-0175 Oslo, Norway.
http://www.ontopia.net/ phone: +47-23233080 GSM: +47-90827246