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Bug 2627 - Appendix D of Datatypes has blind cross reference to D.1
Summary: Appendix D of Datatypes has blind cross reference to D.1
Status: CLOSED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: XML Schema
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Datatypes: XSD Part 2 (show other bugs)
Version: 1.1 only
Hardware: PC Linux
: P2 minor
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: C. M. Sperberg-McQueen
QA Contact: XML Schema comments list
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords: resolved
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2005-12-31 19:24 UTC by C. M. Sperberg-McQueen
Modified: 2008-03-08 15:00 UTC (History)
0 users

See Also:


Attachments

Description C. M. Sperberg-McQueen 2005-12-31 19:24:22 UTC
Appendix D of Datatypes reads in part:

  A number (without precision) is an ordinary mathematical number; 
  see Numerical Values (§D.1) for a discussion of "ordinary" 
  versus "precision-carrying" numbers. 

In some drafts of the wording proposal ultimately adopted D.1 did
contain a discussion of precision in numbers, but that discussion
was deleted from the proposal before the proposal was adopted.
The cross reference should have been deleted at the same time.

One possible repair:  replace the sentence quoted with

   A number (without precision) is an ordinary mathematical number;
   1, 1.0, and 1.000000000000 are the same number. 

Previously reported internally by Dave Peterson at
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Member/w3c-xml-schema-ig/2005Dec/0008.html
Comment 1 C. M. Sperberg-McQueen 2006-01-06 13:35:02 UTC
An alternative proposal, intended to make clear that the reference
to decimals and integers being the numbers "generally used in
describing datatypes" means that decimals and integers are used
in the algorithms of appendices D and E.

Change the first bullet item from 

    A number (without precision) is an ordinary mathematical number;
    see Numerical Values (§D.1) for a discussion of "ordinary" versus
    "precision-carrying" numbers.  The numbers generally used in
    describing datatypes are decimal numbers and integers.

to

    A number (without precision) is an ordinary mathematical number;
    1, 1.0, and 1.000000000000 are the same number.  The numbers
    generally used in the algorithms below are decimal numbers and
    integers.

But I could also live with the suggestion in the description of
the issue.
Comment 2 Dave Peterson 2006-01-06 15:01:50 UTC
(In reply to comment #1)

>     A number (without precision) is an ordinary mathematical number;
>     1, 1.0, and 1.000000000000 are the same number.  The numbers
>     generally used in the algorithms below are decimal numbers and
>     integers.

I'd prefer this as the second sentence:

   The decimal numbers and integers generally used in the algorithms
   of Section XXX are such ordinary numbers, not carrying precision.

I think the second sentence should tie to the first by mentioning at
least either "ordinary" or "not precision".
Comment 3 C. M. Sperberg-McQueen 2006-01-15 00:33:49 UTC
On its telcon of 13 January 2006, the WG adopted the
wording proposed in comment 1, as amended in comment 2.