>This doesn't really address the point, though. If notations and data
>attributes are optional, then either support for embedding non-XML
>objects is also optional, or notations and data attributes are not the
>preferred way of embedding non-XML objects. If they are not the
>preferred way (you probably rightly suggest that embedded URLs and
>MIME/HTTP will be more popular), then why does the spec include them
>at all, and cause so much unnecessary confusion among non-SGML people?
I wonder about this as well. The only explanation I have heard is that
people should be forced to include a list of external entities in the
document prolog, since they will regret it 20 years down the road if they
don't. I must say, this sounds I tad prescriptive to me...
Matthew