[SML] Whether to support Attribute or not?

[Gavin Thomas Nicol]

> >The XML that is most important is the XML that can't be seen...
> 
> We are finding that just the opposite is true.  Both the 
> technical and the business savvy are designing DTDs, and both 
> the technical and the business savvy fully expect to be able 
> to see the XML.

The techies I can understand, the business folk, I find hard to
believe... and if it is the case in your business, I'll bet it's 
a temporary phenomena.

I've dealt with the business folk for a number of years (too many
to comfortably remember!), first as an SGML evangelist, then an 
XML evangelist, and in all kinds of technical and consulting roles. 
In general, the folk I've dealt with love the ROI of XML (when
implemented well), but couldn't care less about it's syntax. They
understand the *idea* of a DTD (or information architecture), 
can sometimes *help* in designing one, but wouldn't be caught 
dead writing one themselves, and probably couldn't if they tried.

This is perfectly natural when you think about it. How many people
do you know who actively create, and consistently use word 
templates? Probably not many. Many more create Execel spreadsheet 
templates, and databases... but how many people there use VB or 
SQL? 

Humans tend to relate technology to the world as they see it. I
know a number of business folk that have secretaries read their email,
because that is the way they relate to the technology.... you
may be talking to a different mix though... maybe CIO, or perhaps 
CTO level folk... but even there, I'd say the infactuation with
XML syntax will soon disappear.




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