Re: Starting the ietf-xml-mime mailing list

["Shane P. McCarron" <ahby@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Murray Altheim wrote:
> 
> Shane P. McCarron <ahby@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
> [...]
> > In case it isn't obvious, I too lean toward each application "family"
> > having their own media type.  This is the only broadly recognized
> > announcement mechanism we have, after all.
> 
> In thinking about this more, I can see the value in defining a new
> media type 'text/xhtml' for the family iff we see that all applications
> within that space using the same infrastructure and mechanisms for
> extensibility, so that any application within that space can predict
> how to read what has been extended and the implications of the
> extension. We *may* be able to solve that with document profiles.
> 
> But if it's still open season within 'text/xhtml' then we've only put
> off the problem until later, and also compounded it by meaninglessly
> fragmented the 'text/xml' space. If there is a solution for XML it
> should be the same as for XHTML, and so my sense is that either the
> HTML WG's concept of document profiles is more usable generally in
> XML or we're duplicating what must also be done for XML.

Maybe the way to look at it is that the HTML WG is working in a space
and developing a solution that MAY scale to be a general solution.
However, the HTML space needs the solution now and we are in a good
position to define the solution for the generic HTML-oriented client
space.

I realize that it would be great if we could define a generic solution
for all XML documents, but I just don't see it happening quickly.  I
think that we can get an HTML-oriented solution ready in uni time
(before the end of the year), and I think that it will be a solution
that is readily implementable by our constituents (the wireless,
television, and desktop client manufacturers).  This would be a good
thing.

--
Shane P. McCarron                              phone: +1 612 434-4431
Testing Research Manager                         fax: +1 612 434-4318
                                              mobile: +1 612 799-6942
                                              e-mail: shane@xxxxxxxxxxx

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