🚀 go-pugleaf

jwh@ifs.umich.edu writes:
> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes:
>|> 
>|> >Does anyone know if there is an ftp-able definition of SGML.  I would
>|> >prefer a BNF definition if one is available.  Thanks.
>|> 
>|> As near as I can tell the ISO standard is copyright and forbids this
>|> type of thing, otherwise I'd put it up (I have the docs.)
>|> 

>Do you know if you can get a machine readable version of the standard
>from ISO?

Sigh. I guess this needs saying at least once in each group that
interacts with standards bodies and their documents. My apologies
to those who've read my four or five similar postings over the
years.

Standards bodies want to control the documents to assure
consistency among the copies in circulation, which can't be done
with (essentially immortal and infinitely mutable) machine
readable copies handed around by private distribution channels (a
nicer term for piracy).

Standards bodies pay a substantial portion of their administrative
costs with the income from their sale of paper standards
documents, in draft as well as final form.

From these causes, several things result.

1) The price of the documents is far higher than the price of
similar documents of similar publishing quality.

2) The documents are copyrighted, and the copyrights vigorously
pursued.

3) The world's habits of passing around machine readable text in
indiscriminate fashion without regard for copyright being well
known, machine readable versions are treated like the Crown
Jewels. Letting one copy out is the practical equivalent of
nullifying the income from the corresponding paper document.

4) Review of standards in work, and compliance with standards when
complete, are limited to those who can/will pay the cost of paper
copies.

5) Incorporation of out-takes from standards documents in ones own
writing requires retyping, with possible insertion of additional
errors.

And so it goes. Send them a check. By doing so, you help fund
future standards efforts.

Kent, the man from xanth.
<xanthian@Zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <xanthian@well.sf.ca.us>