Re: SGML/XML proposals for Linux Standard Base

["Greg Ferguson" <gferg@hoop.timonium.sgi.com>]

On Nov 15, 11:29pm, Dan Scott wrote:
> Subject: SGML/XML proposals for Linux Standard Base
> Hey guys,
>
> George posted this a little over a week ago (albeit with a deceptive
> subject). Basically he would like to get feedback from people that
> care about SGML and XML configuration and set up (hello Greg, Mark,
> every new author that has struggled with the setup for Docbook,
> et al!). Assuming that we can arrive at some mutual agreement,
> the Linux Standard Base also feels that we could lend their proposal
> a certain amount of legitimacy.
>
> That's assuming that we take a look at it. I've been marking up the
> proposals and will offer some opinions in a few days, once I've had
> time to actually digest the content. I'd love to hear the opinions
> of those more wise in the ways of *ML than me...
>
> [...cut...]
>
>>   http://lists.debian.org/lsb-spec-0008/msg00012.html
>>   http://lists.debian.org/lsb-spec-0008/msg00013.html

The proposal seem to be well-thought out. A lot of this is
analagous to how the tools area for publishing LDP
documents was setup, to provide support for multiple
DTDs and stylesheets:

 dsssl/
   docbook       (currently used styles)
   docbook_1.56
 dtd/
   docbook_31
   docbook_41
   docbookx_41   ("x" denotes XML)
 jade-1.2.1/
   ...
 sgml-tools/
    ...
etc.

---

The only part I was a bit confused with was in the
discussion concerning entities:

  "...we chose to avoid deciding not to decide."

but then specifics *are* mentioned in the 2nd document
(http://lists.debian.org/lsb-spec-0008/msg00013.html).

  "The file names should be fixed to:
     ISOamsa.ent ISOamsb.ent ...

   The identifiers should be fixed to:
     "ISO 8879:1986//ENTITIES Added Math Symbols: Arrow Relations//EN""

Is the hope that what is proposed in the 2nd doc emerges as
the standard (which seems reasonable...)?

This was where I personally had a lot of trouble in first establishing
a decent processing environment: finding/installing the right
set(s) of entity files, figuring out where they belong so the
catalog file(s) properly reference them, etc.

---

The central catalog idea is very nice. Right now, I set
(in a script) an environment variable (SGML_CATALOG_FILES)
with a list/string of the various catalog(s) needed for
processing. The proposal makes it easy for a user to point
to one location.

---

I'll look through it more closely, but on first inspection it
looks very solid; a job well-done (from my perspective anyway).

r,

-- 
Greg Ferguson     - s/w engr / mtlhd         | gferg at sgi.com
SGI Tech Pubs     - http://techpubs.sgi.com/ |
Linux Doc Project - http://www.linuxdoc.org/ | gferg at metalab.unc.edu


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