[Bug-gnupedia] Content Format

[Bob Dodd]

Why are we getting so hung up on content format?

Clearly there is a *minimum* level of information we need to know about
the entry (however that gets submitted and stored), and we need to know
what format the content is in, in order to present the content to the
user. But that's all.

This whole thing about HTML, XML, Tei, Latex, MathML for content
description is meaningless, and so quickly outdated by the "march of
technology" as to make discussion almost (but not quite) pointless...

There is a minimum practical limit on content formats in that our
"editors" (however you wish to define that term) need to be able to
check for spam etc. After that, it's up to presentation tools to decide
how to handle the format of the material (e.g. some may not be able to
display Chinese or Arabic fonts), and when they can't how they inform
the user (e.g. a prompt to "Format xyz not supported: save to disk?")

Let's be honest, the vast majority of people don't even know latex or
Tei exists, would be terrified of writing XML/HTML/WML, and would
expect to write their (formatted) entries in Microsoft Word, embedding
pictures created using Excel and Visio. If we want their entries (and
it's pointless even saying "text files", because most people would
think that a Word document *is* a text file), we need to accept those
formats too... So long as storing an retrieveing the content doesn't
have copyright issues, I think you have to leave it to presentation
tools, as to which format they support, and when they can only show our
"mimumum" information.

OK, you can encourage certain content formats, but you can't be too
prescriptive. We also have to live in the real world, where most of our
authors may be computer literate, but their idea of document production
is to use commercial tools (that often come "free" with their PCs).


/Bob Dodd







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