Re: VS vs. P14 (was Re: Indic Devanagari Query)

From: Peter_Constable@sil.org
Date: Wed Feb 05 2003 - 14:20:41 EST

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    On 02/05/2003 12:24:39 PM jameskass wrote:

    >The advantages of using P14 tags (...equals lang IDs mark-up) is
    >that runs of text could be tagged *in a standard fashion* and
    >preserved in plain-text.

    Sure, but why do we want to place so much demand on plain text when the
    vast majority of content we interchange is in some form of marked-up or
    rich text? Let's let plain text be that -- plain -- and look to the markup
    conventions that we've invested so much in and that are working for us to
    provide the kinds of thing that we designed markup for in the first place.
    Besides, a "plain-text" file that begins and ends with p14 tags is a
    marked-up file, whether someone calls it "plain text" or not. We have
    little or no infrastructure for handling that form of markup, and a large
    and increasing amount of infrastructure for handling the more typical forms
    of markup.

    I repeat, plain text remains legible without anything indicating which eng
    (or whatever) may be preferred by the author, and (since the requirement
    for plain text is legibility) therefore this is not really an argument for
    using p14 language tags. IMO.

    - Peter

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Peter Constable

    Non-Roman Script Initiative, SIL International
    7500 W. Camp Wisdom Rd., Dallas, TX 75236, USA
    Tel: +1 972 708 7485



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