Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnewsi!hrs1
From: hrs1@cbnewsi.att.com (herman.r.silbiger)
Newsgroups: comp.text.sgml
Subject: Re: FTP defn of SGML
Summary: SGML in BNF = ODA in ASN.1
Message-ID: <1990Sep29.021053.19864@cbnewsi.att.com>
Date: 29 Sep 90 02:10:53 GMT
References: <1990Sep24.174222.22487@terminator.cc.umich.edu> <ENAG.90Sep28043321@hild.ifi.uio.no>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 16

In article <ENAG.90Sep28043321@hild.ifi.uio.no>, enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) writes:
> Once I get a little free time and can take a break, I will look into
> the desirablity of representing the SGML in BNF, in more detail, and
> try my hand at doing some experimental work.  Don't hold your breath.
> 
Take a look at ISO 8613, and compare the ASN.1 specification of ODA (ODIF)
with the ODL specification (ODIF in SGML).

Now tell me which is easier to read.

Of course ODL is tied to the ODA architecture, but I don't see any reason
why a ASN.1 version of SGML could not be done.  It might be useful to have a
way of specifying non-hierarchical architectures in a BNF notation.

Herman Silbiger
hsilbiger@attmail.com