Luke Arno wrote:
Visible data.
Principle of least invention.
Layered semantics.
Maintain fewer documents.
Learn less new syntax.
Fewest possible constraints.
We can achieve these goals things WITHOUT using a XHTML microformat.
What are the benefits specific to using XHTML for APP versus some other
XML schema? (Note that I did not say "versus some other XML schema
*that we invent*" ) For instance, suppose I wanted to argue that OPML
could be used for this... why is an XHTML format the better approach?
And don't just tell me "because XHTML is better than OPML", relate the
benefits back to core requirements of the Atom Publihing Protocol and
we'll be making progress.
The first definitely deserves some strong consideration but is not, in
and of itself, enough of a justification. The second is questionable as
it has not yet been established that browser displayability is a core
requirement; from where I'm sitting, it's not.
You are listing benefits then jump to stating that they
are not enough without enumerating the costs.
I said that reuse of an existing format, taken by itself, is not enough
of a justification to use that format. If is was, one could argue that
we shouldn't be working on Atom at all. The question hinges on whether
or not the format meets the minimum requirements without introducing too
much overhead or pain. You're proposing that we should just use XHTML
before we fully understand all of the requirements and you're touting
benefits before we fully understand whether or not those benefits are
relevant.
If I offer you a free pizza will you say "that is not enough"?
No, just saying that it is free is NOT enough. I've turned down free
pizza in the past.
- James
