Dear list_eners

attached find SDDspecs.rtf. This is my attempt to formalise the discussion so far into a set of specifications for a new descriptive data standard.

Leigh has explained that his XDELTA is a first-cut approach to such a standard, done more to show what's possible than as a serious suggestion for a final cut. He has offered to revisit and rework "XDELTA" in light of the list's discussions.

To make his job easier, I think it wold be a good idea for those of us still out there to work up a structured specification document for Leigh to work his magic on. If it works OK, the attached may be the first step to this specification.

Again, this is a first cut. It incorporates my ideas, and those I've been able to trawl from the list that have made sense to me. I may have got things all wrong, and it will almost certainly not be exhaustive, but I think at this stage it's better for the authors of other ideas to work on this directly rather than for me to try to understand what they were saying.

I hope the document's self-explanatory - if not, ask me to explain.

Any suggestions as to the best way to work up the document? If we all edit bits and repost we'll end up with diverging versions.

Anyway, see if this makes sense to you.

Cheers - k