XML-WG and XML-SIG deliberations

Peter Murray-Rust (Peter@ursus.demon.co.uk)
Thu, 18 Sep 1997 00:33:05 GMT

Two postings on XML-DEV have explicitly or implicitly referred to the
discussion of XML-SIG and XML-WG. The formal position is that the
discussions of XML-WG (the current W3C-appointed decision-making body) and
XML-SIG (a group of experts who offer advice to XML-WG) are confidential to
W3C member organisations (and the invited experts). This confidentiality
is important as it represents part of the value of being a member of W3C.

There is potential confusion about the archives, since the XML discussion group
was originally called the 'WG' and its archives were (and are) public. They
ended about June 1997 (any precise dates and current URLs for these?) They
are of historical interest and there *might* be some useful discussion there
but there is a huge amount to read through. Maybe some of the whitespace
discussion is in the public archives, though I wouldn't rush.
The archives of XML-WG since June 1997 (?) are not publicly available. Nor
are those of XML-SIG.

However the discussion on this list, and the publicly reported developments
contributed by posters/readers of this list are valued by the XML-groups.
For example the recent WG posting emphasised the value of APIs and their
possible co-publication with XML specs.

The proposal for XSL (XML-STYLE) *is* publicly visible and URLs have been
posted on this list. Unfortunately for XML-DEVers, any XML-SIG and XML-WG
discussion on this is confidential. I leave it to any XML-WG readers of this
list to keep XML-DEV aware of what is happening. Perhaps it could be useful
to remind us of the proposed milestones/timescales for the various XML
components to be published/accepted.

P. 

-- 
Peter Murray-Rust, domestic net connection
Virtual School of Molecular Sciences
http://www.vsms.nottingham.ac.uk/