[SCL] Representing constraints that go beyond EBNF

[Murray Altheim]

John F. Sowa wrote:
> Murray,
> 
>  > None of these people could be accused of having any deficiency
>  > in their knowledge of logic.
> 
> I don't know any of the people you have named.  Until I see
> evidence to the contrary, I assume that most people involved
> in the W3C have a great deal to learn about logic.
[...]
> I never said it was.  There are many very intelligent people
> in the W3C, but most of them don't know logic -- and it shows.

I think we probably agree about a lot of things regarding the W3C,
but none of these people have exactly had a wonderful experience with
the W3C, and would probably not want to be associated with it. Murata
Makoto and James Clark were both heavily involved in the XML Schema
activity, but bowed out and developed their own schema specs in
response to the monstrosity being created. They then co-developed
RELAX-NG together in reaction to XML Schema (as a competitor). And
as I've said, James Clark's credentials in mathematics and logic
are nothing to snoot at. His at least match yours.

I would also note that while the products coming out of the W3C are
sometimes, if not often, flawed, this doesn't mean that everyone
involved has some mental deficiency. Some of the people in W3C working
groups have high levels of expertise, and spend most of their time
arguing for goodness and virtue, and the rest of the time trying to
fix the mistakes the others are making. And some just leave. It's not
a good process or environment for quality specifications. But that
doesn't reflect on all of the participants, nor on their ability to
understand logic.

The whole "doesn't know logic" argument to me is just a red herring
to me, but it's your trump card so I'll let you keep playing it. The
real issue is whether or not a specification fulfills its requirements,
is solid engineering, is functional and delivered within a reasonable
amount of time. Until this group delivers I wouldn't be standing on
any soapboxes. Glass houses and all that...

Murray

...........................................................................
Murray Altheim                         http://kmi.open.ac.uk/people/murray/
Knowledge Media Institute
The Open University, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK7 6AA, UK                    .

   Q: So exactly how is Ahmad Chalabi different from Manuel Noriega?

      http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-singer062002.asp
      http://www.iraqinews.com/people_chalabi.shtml
      http://truthout.org/docs_03/041103F.shtml

   A: One speaks fluent Arabic, the other Spanish.

     "Noriega took refuge in the Vatican embassy, where US troops played
      hard rock music until Noriega surrendered on January 3, 1990."
      http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Manuel-Noriega
      http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB2/nsaebb2.htm#3a
      http://www.addictedtowar.com/panama.htm