[pd-discuss] Using an intermediate language for pdcalc proposal

Thu Mar 10 15:17:27 UTC 2011

Rufus Pollock wrote:
> The basic issue IMO is that a) you need a fully expressive schema
> language b) you have to translate that schema into code. By the time
> you've got a schema that is expressive enough and translators you may
> as well have just used code -- your schema will need conditionals,
> loops etc and so it will start looking a lot like a programming
> language in which case so why not just use a proper one in the first
> place ...

Loops is precisely something that I don't think you would need for this.

Also, the intermediate could make sense taken as natural language, so
that it could be presented to experts/lawyers.

Maarten Zeinstra wrote:
> The question at every node of the available trees fall in three categories:
> 1. Is X of type Y?
> 2. Is X (larger/smaller) than Y?
> 3. Is X-Y (larger/smaller) than Y?

I'm surprised that it can be simplified so much.

> The open source public domain calculator that Europeana is developing uses an intermediary XML file to store calculators.
I wouldn't have used XML for this, but if something is already using it,
it makes sense to use the same format.

>  I have been looking to push this software to mediawiki, if you would like to collaborate with me...
Sure.