[tei-council] solving unnumbered divs (bis)

[James Cummings]

Lou Burnard wrote:
> Is it wise to base this decision solely on "perceived demographics"?
> What's the basis for the perception? Where is the evidence?

Hence my proposed survey.  I suggest I post a survey and give people a month to
answer it.  While I wouldn't want to make such a change *solely* on statistical
results of such a survey, since we have a technical need for it, if the survey's
findings point to one of the possible solutions as preferable then at least that
is some evidence.  Of course, we should be aware that the survey might produce
information that only complicates the matter. (If for example there is a 60/40
split, do we go with the 60?  Surely 40% of respondents would represent a
significant portion of the community and thus we'd be back to trying to
implement both.)  Basically the question is whether people want to continue to
support use of both div0 and div1 as a starting element.  If people are fine
with numbered divs starting only at div0, then that is fine.  If  a strong
contingent feel they should also be allowed to start at div1, then it is more
problematic.

> Those chaps
> in NZ have barely started their survey yet, let alone produced any results.

The University of Sydney is in Australia.

> I note also that we have in the past made far more radical changes in P5
> (id to xml:id, lang to xml:lang) on the basis of other criteria, and
> even (in the latter case) in the teeth of voluble opposition from the
> "perceived demographic".

True, and the only reason I'm suggesting the survey is that it might shed some
light on how strongly the community feels about this.  (i.e. is this a lone
voice crying in the wilderness or a general consensus)

> Personally I would like to have a good technical argument for making (or
> not making) any of these changes.

I think Sebastian has already made the technical argument for making these
changes (and the argument for not making them being that we're unable to have
people cleanly remove numbered divs should they desire).

-James
-- 
Dr James Cummings, Oxford Text Archive, University of Oxford
James dot Cummings at oucs dot ox dot ac dot uk