> Now we're getting somewhere.? Thanks for the term 'a transport mechanism'.?
> So we are not talking at cross purposes, I think we need to step back and
> look at the requirements.? We actually need to be discussing at least three
> formats:

> 1. A transport mechanism: some file that can be traded back and forth,
> shared by FTP (open source) and governed under version control.? This is
> the primary use for XML.

> 2. A backend data format: something that can be queried for information an
> application needs.? This could be MySQL, XML, etc.? I have been using XML
> for this, too.? But I can see the advantages of a database.

> 3. A presentation format: this is where the data is presented, the links
> are shown, the interactions take place.? This is where the (X)HTML comes
> in.

> The information in my XML is pretty much straightforward.? All of it is
> organized after the pattern of David Instone-Brewers PHP script, that sets
> it up as a MySQL database.? The attributes of the main w element contain
> the Strong number, transliteration and pronunciation from Strong's, along
> with the word and consonantal form of the word, for sorting and lookup.?
> The extra information is TWOT number and part of speech.

> The Greek listing is clear, but I can't guarantee the accuracy of it.? The
> list seems to come mainly from BDB.? That leaves only the last three
> fields: the derivation, the definition and the translations.? The only real
> problem I can see is in the derivation.? And Strong doesn't make this
> easy.? I spent a long time trying to get root information out of that mass
> of material.? I checked it myself in several ways, made corrections by
> hand, compared it with your root info, made corrections by hand.? It would
> be great to have each significant reference here tagged, and some of that
> could be done electronically.? But ultimately it comes down to a lot of
> manual editing.

> Even without tagging, though, the references could be made into links, and
> the visitor could see the meaning and decide whether or not to click the
> link.? Better yet, they could be displayed as hover popups.

> If you have any input on this, or specifics that you foresee need
> 'tweaking', by all means, take part in the discussion.

> Peace,

> David

> I think you've summed up the situation really well. It's funny how the
> three of us have been focusing on different parts of the elephant and
> thought we might be seeing different critters. :)

> Ζῆ Χριστός! יְבָרֶכְךָ יָהְוֶה

> On Tuesday 02 June 2009 11:26:27 am you wrote:
> > Darrell,

> > Now we're getting somewhere.? Thanks for the term 'a transport
> > mechanism'.? So we are not talking at cross purposes, I think we need to
> > step back and look at the requirements.? We actually need to be
> > discussing at least three formats:

> > 1. A transport mechanism: some file that can be traded back and forth,
> > shared by FTP (open source) and governed under version control.? This is
> > the primary use for XML.

> > 2. A backend data format: something that can be queried for information
> > an application needs.? This could be MySQL, XML, etc.? I have been using
> > XML for this, too.? But I can see the advantages of a database.

> > 3. A presentation format: this is where the data is presented, the links
> > are shown, the interactions take place.? This is where the (X)HTML comes
> > in.

> > The information in my XML is pretty much straightforward.? All of it is
> > organized after the pattern of David Instone-Brewers PHP script, that
> > sets it up as a MySQL database.? The attributes of the main w element
> > contain the Strong number, transliteration and pronunciation from
> > Strong's, along with the word and consonantal form of the word, for
> > sorting and lookup.? The extra information is TWOT number and part of
> > speech.

> > The Greek listing is clear, but I can't guarantee the accuracy of it.?
> > The list seems to come mainly from BDB.? That leaves only the last three
> > fields: the derivation, the definition and the translations.? The only
> > real problem I can see is in the derivation.? And Strong doesn't make
> > this easy.? I spent a long time trying to get root information out of
> > that mass of material.? I checked it myself in several ways, made
> > corrections by hand, compared it with your root info, made corrections by
> > hand.? It would be great to have each significant reference here tagged,
> > and some of that could be done electronically.? But ultimately it comes
> > down to a lot of manual editing.

> > Even without tagging, though, the references could be made into links,
> > and the visitor could see the meaning and decide whether or not to click
> > the link.? Better yet, they could be displayed as hover popups.

> > If you have any input on this, or specifics that you foresee need
> > 'tweaking', by all means, take part in the discussion.

> > Peace,

> > David