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Subject:Re[2]: Nonstandard HTML From:Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM Date:Wed, 24 Apr 1996 15:29:00 -0600
How true. But what -- and I think that Geoff has been trying to push
the discussion in this direction -- does the ignoring of those
standards mean to us, the content producers.
Gee, I thought that *was* what we were talking about. To me, the cloud of
uncertainty hovering over HTML makes .PDF a more attractive and more viable
option than it might otherwise be. I *know* what my .PDF document will look
like on someone else's system, and I know that without having to fire up 12
different programs to check it out.
Yes, HTML has the potential for being a better all-round document delivery
system than .PDF. Right now it isn't. It is superior for some things and
quite inferior for others. And that's been my point since I started down
this thread.
That, and the fact that I'm pessimistic about it being allowed to live up to
its potential, due to the forces involved (Geoff seems optimistic). On the
one hand we have a slow-moving standards committee, and on the other we have
two companies locked in a struggle for control of what is quite likely to be
vital for both of their futures. It doesn't bode well for any sort of
standard.
SGML (Chet's favorite) isn't at the moment possible for me at least, because
I don't have the tools to work with it, nor any guarantee that any of my
customers could use it if I delivered it. If/When that situation changes,
I'll try to formulate an intelligent opinion about it. For now, I don't have
one.
Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 124
Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
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In God we trust; all others must provide data.
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Opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.
If JCI had an opinion on this, they'd hire someone else to deliver it.
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