Re: DocBook vs. DebianDoc
At (time_t)1009755091 Martin WHEELER wrote:
> I propose that BOTH should be accepted by the DDP forthwith.
>
> Then let time and writers' inclinations sort out the rest.
It probably would be possible to convert DocBook documents to
DebianDoc using an XSLT stylesheet, to allow for a simpler
integration effort of both types of documents.
Writing that stylesheet would likely be time-consuming, but less
time-consuming and disruptive than rearchitecting the current
DebianDoc to HTML solutions for presenting the content on the
web site(s).
The other direction might work as well. Unlike LinuxDoc, which
appears to be too simplistic and visually-oriented to convert
well, DebianDoc does have content-driven inline markup. In this
instance, though, we're moving from SGML to XML, and I'm not sure
what technologies support that translation.
If DebianDoc is redesigned as an XML markup, however, that
concern goes away. The tags wouldn't change, but authors would no
longer be able to rely on implicit closing tags. There may well
be other minor differences as well.
One problem with the "natural selection" theory, though, is that
many writers will likely choose the simpler markup, given the
choice; the simpler markup may well not be in Debian's best
interests.
-John
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