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From: lark@greylock.tivoli.com (Lar Kaufman)
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Public Domain Dictionary
Keywords: Dictionary SGML
Message-ID: <811@tivoli.UUCP>
Date: 10 Jun 91 17:19:45 GMT
References: <1991Jun9.025529.21722@sq.sq.com> <1991Jun2.015314.5771@wlbr.imsd.contel.com> <3797@naucse.cse.nau.edu> <91156.144339GONTER@awiwuw11.wu-wien.ac.at>
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Reply-To: lark@tivoli.com (Lar Kaufman)
Organization: Tivoli Software, Inc.
Lines: 42

lee@sq.sq.com (Liam R. E. Quin) writes:
  GONTER@awiwuw11.wu-wien.ac.at (Gerhard Gonter) writes:
  > There's clearly a need for a public domain online dictionary system
  yes!
  
  > 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.

Agreed.

  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.

Agreed.

  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.

It would be interesting to see what the guys at U. of Waterloo did with the 
online O.E.D. project.  I understand it is very SGML-like.

  > 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.

That would be a noble thing.  Perhaps a newsletter would be an appropriate 
dissemination method, though?

Lar Kaufman            I would feel more optimistic about a bright future
(voice) 512-794-9070   for man if he spent less time proving that he can
(fax)   512-794-0623   outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness 
lark@tivoli.com        and respecting her seniority.  - E.B. White