re:Multi-Lingual Project Gutenberg (was: Unicode plain text)

From: Pierre Lewis (lew@nortel.ca)
Date: Tue May 27 1997 - 22:00:00 EDT


In message "re:Multi-Lingual Project Gutenberg (was: Unicode plain text)",
'jfieber@indiana.edu' writes:

> I was simply making the observation that swearing off high level
> protocols because they are messy now seems very out of character
> with the spirit of Unicode.

I don't see them as messy, just as short-lived. I don't perceive
HTML as messy, quite the opposite (notwithstanding frequent abuse by
authors such as using <Hn> tags to get bold/bigger), but I don't expect
to still use it in 30 years. For my part, I'm not swearing off high
level protocols, but I think a very good point can be made for plain
text, and I had a few questions I wished clarified wrt Unicode. That's
all.

> Explain to me how SGML is less portable than plain text? If you
> don't have something that understand the tags, any reasonable
> text editor can strip them out leaving you with plain text.

I don't know SGML, but let's try the exercise with an HTML page I
wrote (chosen randomly amongst the ones I can show outside):

HTML source

   <H1><A NAME="_nr_9">Connecting an HP LaserJet 5M at home</A></H1>
   <EM>By Pierre Lewis (aka téléLew).</EM>
   <P>This short page provides some notes on using an HP LaserJet 5M
   connected to a home setup.
   If you have comments or encounter problems, don't hesitate to call me
   (x8207).
   <P>
   The description is specific to the HP LaserJet 5M. Some
   useful information can also be found on the page about
   <A HREF="lw2ntx.html">connecting a LaserWriter II NTX to a home NCD</A>.
   <H2><A NAME="_nr_21">Basic connectivity</A></H2>
   <UL>
   <P><LI>The normal way to connect the LJ5M to your home setup
   is via the Ethernet port.
   This requires some kind of hub to interconnect the Gandalf box, the NCD

Same with tags stripped (almost illegible: headings, bullets gone)

   Connecting an HP LaserJet 5M at home
   By Pierre Lewis (aka téléLew).
   This short page provides some notes on using an HP LaserJet 5M
   connected to a home setup.
   If you have comments or encounter problems, don't hesitate to call me
   (x8207).

   The description is specific to the HP LaserJet 5M. Some
   useful information can also be found on the page about
   connecting a LaserWriter II NTX to a home NCD.
   Basic connectivity

   The normal way to connect the LJ5M to your home setup
   is via the Ethernet port.
   This requires some kind of hub to interconnect the Gandalf box, the NCD

Same as a decent plain text file (formatted by lynx -- Tim's type 2)

                        Connecting an HP LaserJet 5M at home

      _By Pierre Lewis (aka téléLew)._

      This short page provides some notes on using an HP LaserJet 5M
      connected to a home setup. If you have comments or encounter
      problems, don't hesitate to call me (x8207).

      The description is specific to the HP LaserJet 5M. Some useful
      information can also be found on the page about [1]connecting a
      LaserWriter II NTX to a home NCD.

   Basic connectivity

        * The normal way to connect the LJ5M to your home setup is via
          the Ethernet port. This requires some kind of hub to
          interconnect the Gandalf box, the NCD

   ...

   References

      1. file://localhost/tmp/lw2ntx.html

Wonder what the SGML version of above would look like.

Pierre



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jul 10 2001 - 17:20:34 EDT