debiandoc-sgml table support

[ian@chiark.greenend.org.uk (Ian Jackson)]

I have got bogged down in my attempts to add table support to
debiandoc-sgml.  Not because the code is hard (it's not), but because
I have fundamental problems with some of the aspects of the
reorganisation that has been made.

For example, the replacement of the
  sgml('<TAG>', sub {
      # ... code ...
  });
with
  sub start_tag {
      # ... code ...
  }
  # ... and much later ...
  sgml('<TAG>', \&start_tag);
has created a completely unnecessary level of indirection which will
also have to be kept in step.

I am not willing to try to add code to this.  After modifying the DTD,
manual, and Lout backend file, I wanted to run an initial test, but it
quickly became clear that my efforts to make my old source code work
with the new arrangements of the Debian SGML subsystem were a waste of
time, and mixtures of old and new code were even less viable.

I also have a problem with the reduction in code density caused by the
introduction of numerous `horizontal bar' comments and extra
whitespace, which makes it very hard to see some of the overall
structure and limits how much code will fit on my monitor.

Although I think that this latter is a matter of preference about
which people might reasonably disagree, I still maintain that the
degree of changes which have been made do not warrant the amount of
reformatting that has been done.  I am upset because feel that I have
been `disenfranchised' - the facility with which I can maintain my own
code has been greatly reduced.

I'm also concerned that complete rearrangement of the code has made it
very difficult to identify what has actually changed between old and
new versions.

I'd like to hear from the current registered maintainer (I believe
this is Ardo van Rangelrooij <ardo.van.rangelrooij@tip.nl>) on the
matter of these changes and any other reorganisations.  In particular,
I'd like to ask them:

(a) Did you make the changes with which I'm now disagreeing ?

(b) Do you plan to continue to maintain the current situation despite
my comments ?

(c) Do you think that I as the original author have any special
authority with respect to the code ?

Thanks,
Ian.