[sc34wg3] TNC backward compatibility

[Kal Ahmed]

On Wed, 2003-03-26 at 20:27, Lars Marius Garshol wrote:
> 
> * Nikita Ogievetsky
> | 
> | Yes, you are right. I meant that (3.4.2)
> | 
> | "The properties of topic items that do not represent topic
> | characteristics are not statements about the subject; they are
> | statements about the topic."
> | 
> | Might be more clearly restated something like:
> | 
> | "[subject identifiers] and [subject address] properties of topic
> | items are not topic characteristics - they are not statements about
> | the subject; they are statements about the topic."
> 
> I see. So you'd like to list the properties explicitly. That would
> mean changing the text to
> 
>   The [subject identifiers], [subject addresses], [reified], and
>   [source locators] properties of topic items do not represent topic
>   characteristic assignments and so are not statements about the
>   subject; instead, they are statements about the topic."
> 
> I'm uncertain about this one. If the reader cannot work out which
> properties do represent topic characteristic assignments I agree that
> this will be clearer. On the other hand, the term "topic
> characteristic" is defined, and so it's not very hard to work out
> which properties do represent topic characteristic assignments.
> 
> Leaving out the list makes the text easier to read (provided this is
> understood), so I guess it comes down to second-guessing what the
> readers are likely to find easier. I'd like to hear input from others
> here about what they find easier. I'm happy either way, but rather
> than guess I'd like to have input from actual readers.
> 

My feeling is that you should leave out the extra text both to make the
text that is there more readable and to avoid the possibility of
introducing inconsistencies into the text you go through the process of
revision. It only takes the accidental omission of one property from
that list to create a new topic characteristic ;-)

Cheers,

Kal
> -- 
> Lars Marius Garshol, Ontopian         <URL: http://www.ontopia.net >
> GSM: +47 98 21 55 50                  <URL: http://www.garshol.priv.no >
> 
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