XSL-FO's future at W3C (Was: xsl-fo first anniversary)

In a message dated 18/10/2002 03:20:24 GMT Daylight Time, sca@xxxxxxxxxx writes:


> We are examining our requirements for a follow-on release
> and if you have any feedback for us let us know.


Sharon,

I am encouraged to hear that the "XSL" WG is examining requirements for XSL-FO version 2.

I recently posted a question to the XML-Dev list enquiring about XSL-FO's future at W3C given that the WG's Charter expires in two and a half months time (at least according to the publicly available charter) and the fact that the WG had not yet delivered an XSL-FO 2.0 Requirements document which the Charter indicated should have been delivered over a year ago. <unworthy_thought>The possibility occurred to me that W3C might be "easing out of" support for XSL-FO.</unworthy_thought>

Perhaps you could inform XML-Dev (and the lists to which I have copied this email) what the W3C's future plans for XSL-FO are, since the publicly available Charter does not seem to accurately reflect current plans.

I would also like to suggest that the "XSL" WG opens the process of creating a Requirements document for XSL-FO version 2 to public comment and suggestions. Typically, and disappointingly, a W3C WG defines requirements with no public consultation. For version 1.0 of a technology that may be defensible but when a user community already exists shouldn't they be invited to make suggestions?

Since it is the XSL-FO community who will be greatly affected by developments in future versions of XSL-FO it seems to me a constructive step forward to invite the community to contribute to the creation of a  first draft Requirements document. Such a process worked well with the SVG community. I hope the XSL-FO WG can give the possibility favourable consideration.

I look forward to your response.

Andrew Watt