The Argumentation Community Group is approaching the onset of standardization and specification topics. Four requisite features which can enhance the expressiveness of the new format are discussed.
The following elements and technologies: <data> (1), <include> (2), and <define> (3), as well as XSLT extensions (4), are discussed herein. Each requisite technology (1, 2, 3, 4) can be specified by the Argumentation Community Group en route to or concurrently to discussions about a new argumentation interchange and representation format.
1. Parallel markup can facilitate interoperability with any number of formats. A <data> element can resemble:
<data type="multipart/...">
<data type="type/subtype">text</data>
<data type="type/subtype">
<!-- xml -->
</data>
</data>
2. XSLT-enhanced XML include can resemble:
<include href="set.xslt" src="optional.xml" select="optional XSLT expression">
<with-param name="..." value="..." as="optional:type" />
<with-param name="..." as="optional:type">
<!-- xml -->
</with-param>
</include>
indicating that the resultant XML is to replace the <include> element in the XML document. A processing model, including extensions to XSLT (4), can be specified and a reference implementation in Java utilizing existing XSLT processor components is possible.
3. A mechanism for XML macros:
<define name="macro:set"> ... </define>
and
<define name="macro:set" href="location.file" />
can facilitate the use of XML macros
<macro:set ... > ... </macro:set>
in documents, with definitions utilizing XML Schema and XSLT, so that macro elements can be processed and expanded into other XML content which can contain <include> elements (2) to then be processed.
As patterns in usage emerge, and as discussions about argumentation interchange and representation format topics occur, XSLT stylesheets and macro definitions can be specified, standardized, documented and hosted at the group’s website.
4. Numerous XSLT extension functions and elements are envisioned including HTTP protocol-based functionality and XSLT with SPARQL scenarios. Extensions to XSLT can facilitate enhanced processing for outputting XML content in a new argumentation interchange and representation format.
The aforementioned technologies (1, 2, 3, 4) can enhance the expressiveness of a new format for the interchange and representation of conversational, mathematical, scientific, legal, and political argumentation.