Support for XML iso entities

[Eric Bischoff]

On Tuesday 29 May 2001 15:22, Jorge Luiz Godoy Filho wrote:
> >> > Hi Jorge. I hope you are doing fine.
> >>
> >> Hi! I'm OK, thanks. :-))
> >
> > Super! :-)
>
> Thanks! And how about you? Too much work?

As you can say with the date of this reply, yes :-(.

> > I've simply been putting everything together because of this
> > interoperability, and to avoid multiplying the number of
> > packages. Don't you think we've got already enough of them? ;-)
>
> No, I don't. As a base package for SGML processing, I think it should
> be only for SGML processing. Without caring for what tool can or
> cannot use it. If the specs says that we should use those entities in
> some specific way, that's what we should go for.

The problem is that XML processing is SGML processing.

> XML specs says that entities must be specified in Unicode. So, the
> specs requires different things. Besides, I don't see any problem
> having a package with only XML entities (and that package might
> requires sgml-common, for the catalog installation and other tools).

I don't see any problem with having only one package either.

> > I agree that a separate xml-common package could be a valid
> > technical solution, I just don't really see a good reason why we
> > should go this way.
>
> The reason is: having fewer things, makes you worry with fewer
> problems. And (I know disk is cheap) it will make our packages smaller
> and more specific to a desired function.

Come on... sgml-common is ridiculously small, and now you want to split it 
again...

> > Everything this package contains are very basic and small
> > ressources, although a bit heterogeneous. I think that both versions
> > of the ISO entities go well together in this package.
>
> I still think that there should be an xml-common. BUT, I don't want to
> push you to this decision. I just want, if it will be in the same
> package, to be able to split them here and have all the tools
> working. There should be no requirement os assumption on any of the
> tools that I will always have both XML and SGML stuff together since
> this isn't true. People get really lost with this complex system and
> all this catalog and entities stuff... Having unused stuff installed
> there will make them even more confused.

Having too much packages doesn't help a lot with respect to complexity either.

> As I saida, this is only my opinion. If you decide not to take it,
> I'll accept and keep on using the packages. :-)

I'm no dictator ;-). I need to speak about this with Mark Galassi. A lot of 
people seem to (unfortunately ;-) ) agree with you.

Sad you didn't make it to go to San Diego. We could have met.