On Tuesday, November 2, 2004, at 10:07 AM, Robert Sayre wrote:
Antone Roundy wrote:
I think the current draft text defines a much more useful element

The fact that it took you two long paragraphs to describe the functionality you _think_ is present in atom:updated proves that it's a horrbile definition.
I'll try to avoid being snippy here. First of all, my second paragraph began with "Perhaps the current draft text would benefit from clarification"--I'm not claiming that the wording is perfect--just that some of the meaning that the current draft text attempts to convey which is absent from PaceUpdatedDefinition is useful meaning.

Second, my first paragraph contains one sentence describing the functionality I'd like to see atom:updated to be used for. The rest of it describes what I think are the shortcomings of PaceUpdatedDefinition.

The format has no business classifying spelling mistakes.
Sure, the spec has no business specifying normative, compulsory treatment of spelling adjustments with respect to atom:updated. But providing examples to clarify the intended usage of an element is definitely in bounds. And I think spelling adjustment examples are not only in bounds, but very useful.

Original: I carved a pumkin on Halloween.
Fixed: I carved a pumpkin on Halloween.
What subscriber on this planet is going to want to reread an entry just because a trivial spelling mistake like this was fixed? Most people will probably have understood the entry perfectly the first time and won't have noticed the spelling mistake at all.

Original: I work at a restaurant. I eat people.
Fixed: I work at a restaurant. I seat people.
The difference between a cannibal and an usher (or whatever they're called in a restaurant) is pretty important. This example is good for ensuring that publishers don't think that all spelling fixes are out-of-bounds for atom:updated.



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