[osis-core] Problem with no <p> markings

[Patrick Durusau]

Troy,

I have been having email problems, both incoming (Emory University) and 
then later outgoing (BellSouth)! Talk about a bad email day!

I did try to call several times but then realized your 56K connection 
was your cell phone! Duh!!! ;-)

Best solution at this point is to wrap <verseStart /> ... <verseStop /> as:

<p><verseStart /> ... </verseStop></p> since you can identify the verse 
boundaries anyway. Note that in the KJV text I have, the verses are set 
like <p></p> indented first line anyway.

To some degree I am sympathetic but one of the advantages of a markup 
system is that it does limit choices, hopefully in a useful way, because 
unlimited options make texts more difficult to use without a lot of 
processing, that most people are unable to do.

I think you are correct that to mandate paragraphs is to make a claim 
about the text, but then so is all markup (at least according to Michael 
Sperberg-McQueen), a position that I find quite agreeable.

I will try to call again tomorrow if you can send a land line number 
where I can reach you or if by some chance you will not be using your 
cell phone modem. ;-)

Looking forward to seeing you in Rome!

Patrick

Scribe wrote:

>Thanks for your considerationn guys.  Just to get my point briefly in the 
>archive:
>
>It seems that paragraph markers are more optional than other Biblical 
>markup.
>
>Many text don't have, nor should have paragraphing attached.  Probably 90% 
>of our 200+books do not have them electronically included.
>
>Legacy data is not the only reason for this.  Many Bibles in many 
>languages may not even have a concept of paragraphing.
>
>I don't think it's our job to mandate markup-- like paragraphing-- only to 
>allow the markup that people may wish to use.
>
>
>A cool markup is a practical markup. :)
>
>
>	-Troy.
>
>
>
>
>On Fri, 19 Apr 2002, Patrick Durusau wrote:
>
>>Guys,
>>
>>I have been thinking a lot about the problem Troy raised yesterday about 
>>data that was entered using the Book/Chapter/Verse division that does 
>>not contain the necessary <p> information needed to use the 
>>annotationGroup and translationGroup (read phrase level markup) elements.
>>
>>We expended a fair amount of effort in building a single hierarchy that 
>>mirrors current practices but accomodated older divisions with 
>>milestones. Not being container elements, milestones do not solve the 
>>problem that Troy has found.
>>
>>While I think Todd's suggestion of special <p> elements has merit, it 
>>does increase the amount of markup that would be required to represent 
>>such texts.
>>
>>Alternative suggestion:
>>
>>Since we are talking about legacy data, it might be appropriate to 
>>declare an OSISLegacy_1.0.xsd that redefines the content model for <div> 
>>in order to allow the sort of phrase level markup that Troy wants 
>>without requiring the use of the <p> element. It would keep the 
>>distinction we have made between modern vs. older practices and yet 
>>allow us to use the OSIS schema for the legacy materials.
>>
>>I would note that Troy's position is not entirely one of legacy data but 
>>wanting to have phrase level markup whenever PCDATA is allowed. I am 
>>checking to make sure that is the case in situations other than the one 
>>Troy has raised. In other words, whenever bibical text (understood in 
>>this case to be translation) appears, then phrase level markup should be 
>>allowable. That is the case for <p>, <note> (which is composed of 
>><p>'s), <line>, <titlePart> and <item> so I think we have covered all 
>>the cases of biblical text. (Note that Troy's case arises only from 
>>moving outside the content model of the schema.)
>>
>>I will try to call everyone today (or you can call me at: 678-625-0995, 
>>but note I will be out of the office from about 9 AM until 11 AM running 
>>errands to get ready for Rome) to discuss how to resolve this issue.
>>
>>Hope this finds everyone in good health and spirits!
>>
>>Patrick
>>
>>

-- 
Patrick Durusau
Director of Research and Development
Society of Biblical Literature
pdurusau@emory.edu