Date:         Tue, 2 Apr 2002 16:15:07 -0500
Reply-To:     Metadata Object Description Schema List <[log in to unmask]>
Sender:       Metadata Object Description Schema List <[log in to unmask]>
From:         Geoff Mottram <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Re: Alternate proposal
Comments: To: Metadata Object Description Schema List <[log in to unmask]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> Actually, I think we all agree that mixing #PCDATA _between_
> elements, ala HTML, would _not_ be a good content model.  I
> can for see communities that do not want to specify "type" nor
> "description".  They just want something plain and simple like
> Dublin Core.  So I can see a use for:
>
>   <!ELEMENT creator (#PCDATA|(type,name,description)>
>   <!ELEMENT name (#PCDATA)>

I agree with the above statement as a general design philosophy provided you
permit the occasional exception.

I have been having some discussions with MARC listserv regarding non-sorting
portions of a title and I believe there needs to be one exception to not
mixing PCDATA and elements. Assume you add a "nonsort" element as a method
of marking up the portions of a title that are not to be sorted.  If you
don't allow it to intermix with PCDATA within the title, you will have
problems distinguishing between the parts of the title.  For example:

    <title>
      <part>first part of the title</part>
      <nonsort>I belong to first title part but should be ignored</nonsort>
      <part>second part of the title</part>
    </title>

With the above approach, you can't tell which part of the title the
"nonsort" element belongs to.  It should be marked up as follows to avoid
any ambiguity:

    <title>
      <part>first part of the title
          <nonsort>I belong to first title part but should be
ignored</nonsort>
      </part>
      <part>second part of the title</part>
    </title>

Geoff Mottram
Minaret Corp.
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