Making RELAX NG schemas normative rather than non-normative

[Jirka Kosek]

Rex Jaeschke wrote:

> While the JTC 1 rules permit electronic attachments to standards, the
> contents of such attachments must also be included in the "printed" version.
> As such, we have electronic schemas, which are reproduced in Annexes. For
> the normative XSD schemas that means we have two versions, one electronic
> and one printed, which can lead to the two being out-of-sync. 

With current technology it is fairly easy to dynamically include
electronic schema into "printed version" preventing any out-of-sync issues.

> (And I believe
> this was the case for 29500:2008.) In such cases, which version is the
> "correct" one as far as conformance is concerned? That is unspecified, even
> in the consolidated reprint 29500:2011.

Well then we should clarify this, but that's different issue.

> BTW, does anyone know of any other XML-related standard that has multiple
> equivalent schemas with all being normative?
> 
> That aside, more importantly, I'd like to know just what real-world problem
> does the making RELAX NG schemas normative actually solve?

RELAX NG can much closer model schema of OOXML then W3C XML Schema.
During the time several experts and member bodies expressed preference
for RELAX NG over W3C XML Schema. There was some push back for this. So
we have several options:

1. normative W3C XML schema, non-normative RELAX NG schema
   - this is technically wrong as W3C XML Schema is poorer then RELAX NG
schema
   - also W3C XML schema is not ISO schema language, where RELAX NG is

2. non-normative W3C XML schema, normative RELAX NG schema
   - technically and formally better situation
   - schema experts recommend this
   - pushback from Ecma?, editor?
   - changing status quo

3. normative W3C XML schema, normative RELAX NG schema
   - compromise which can make everybody happy


Although I would personally prefer option 2, I think that we should
proceed with option 3 as it is good compromise.

				Jirka

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------
  Jirka Kosek      e-mail: jirka at kosek.cz      http://xmlguru.cz
------------------------------------------------------------------
       Professional XML consulting and training services
  DocBook customization, custom XSLT/XSL-FO document processing
------------------------------------------------------------------
 OASIS DocBook TC member, W3C Invited Expert, ISO JTC1/SC34 member
------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 259 bytes
Desc: OpenPGP digital signature
URL: <http://mailman.vse.cz/pipermail/sc34wg4/attachments/20110317/22cbc377/attachment.pgp>