Re: strategy for HTML spec?

• Mail folder: WWW Talk Jan-Mar 1993 Archives
• Next message: Tim Berners-Lee: "Server maintainers please note"
• Previous message: Tim Berners-Lee: "Re: web roaming robot (was: strategy for HTML spec?)"

Date: Thu, 14 Jan 93 10:20:48 +0100
From: Tim Berners-Lee <timbl@www3.cern.ch>
Message-id: <9301140920.AA00272@www3.cern.ch>
To: Dan Connolly <connolly@pixel.convex.com>
Subject: Re: strategy for HTML spec? 
Cc: "Thomas A. Fine" <fine@cis.ohio-state.edu>, www-talk@nxoc01.cern.ch
Reply-To: timbl@nxoc01.cern.ch

>  Date: Wed, 13 Jan 93 14:34:40 CST
>  From: Dan Connolly <connolly@pixel.convex.com>
>
>  Sounds cool. This points out yet another thing the WAIS folks did
>  right: every database has an associated maintainer as part of
>  the protocol. WWW could learn a lot from WAIS.

I suggest webmaster aliases for server-wide responsability and
a typed link for authorship of any given document.   Many
servers provide stuff from many areas, one person is not
responsible for everything.  Our local mainframe doc system
has a function key dedicated to "who is responsible for the runnish  
on my screen?!" function.   This is important for up-to-date info,
accountability.

I see this as one good use for a link type.  Something I have
wondered about a lot is a namespace for people in the URL scheme.
You can even find something about them using SMTP if they
are on the internet.
 <A HREF="mail:timbl@info.cern.ch" TYPE="author">tim</A>

Following the link would give options of mailing the person.

>  >All we have to do is agree to set up the wwwmaster aliases.


Any objections?

>  

>  Perhaps HTML2 will provide a handle on how to get ahold of the  
relavent
>  person -- it should!


You mean http2 or html2?

>  >This would also be a good chance to map out the entire Web.   
Anyone
>  >know any good algorithms for drawing arbitrary directed graphs  
with
>  >no overlap?
>  

>  Ever heard of map coloring problems? You can't draw an arbitrary
>  directed graph with no overlap. The set of graphs that you can
>  draw is the subject of great study, I believe. They're called
>  "planar" graphs.


I think we are allowed to let lines cross.  Just than minimising the
number of crossings (the "badness") is almose certainly np complete
But in fact a tree will probably be less confusing for people.

I like history trees like

AAAAAAAAAAA
  BBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
  CCCCCCCCCCCCC CCC C
  DDD DDDDDDDD
     EEEEEEEEEEEE
     AAAAAAAAAAAA *
     BBBBBBBBBBBBB *
  FFFFFFFFFF FFFFFF
     DDDDDD *
  GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

wheer * indicates that the links from that node are listed at a same  
or higher level in the tree.  (You could give  line number  
cross-refernece or a link to the listing).  This is gives the real  
user the comforting illusion that (s)he is playing with a tree, which  
people seem to find easier to remember than a web.


>  >  Which reminds me, a good directed graph is the right way
>  >to implement a history mechanism.  Somebody want to take a crack  
at
>  >it?
>  

>  This is another area where the HyTime folks have done a lot
>  of thinking that we should try to take advantage of.

Where do we find the HyTime folk's thinking online?

>  Dan
>  

	Tim