Newsgroups: comp.text
Path: utzoo!sq!lee
From: lee@sq.sq.com (Liam R. E. Quin)
Subject: Re: Public Domain Dictionary
Message-ID: <1991Jun9.025529.21722@sq.sq.com>
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada
X-Feet: bare
References: <1991Jun2.015314.5771@wlbr.imsd.contel.com> <3797@naucse.cse.nau.edu> <91156.144339GONTER@awiwuw11.wu-wien.ac.at>
Date: Sun, 9 Jun 91 02:55:29 GMT
Lines: 42

GONTER@awiwuw11.wu-wien.ac.at (Gerhard Gonter) writes:
> There's clearly a need for a public domain online dictionary system

yes!

> Before we start compiling yet another one, we should sit back and
> consider an encoding scheme which is flexible enough to meet a wide
> variety of needs and applications. It's also a good idea to think
> about a possible way to expand such an encoding scheme for applications
> we don't even have an idea about now.

I agree...
 
> I'm very interested in a `public lexicon project' and I'm willing
> to share the material that I've accumulated.  I'm especially interested
> in an encoding scheme, powerfull enough to meet whatever the needs
> of interested users are.
> - Such an encoding scheme would/should possibly be based on SGML.

Well, that's a good idea too.

I think that the best way forward is to use a simple format that can easily
be transmitted over networks.  This implies a limited character set and
fairly short (<= 72 character) lines for many people.

The simple format can easily be converted to SGML.  It isn't easy writing
a DTD for a dictionary, so it is probably better not to try and do so at
first, although that doesn't preclude an SGML-style markup.  Another
alternative would be the Text Encoding Initiative DTD, but that's probably
more general than is appropriate.

> p.p.s: what about comp.text.lexicon ?

I think I'd rather see actual progress before a newsgroup, although I
suppose I could be persuaded to moderate such a thing.

Lee

-- 
Liam Quin, lee@sq.com, SoftQuad, Toronto, +1 416 963 8337
the barefoot programmer