Are there some more out there ?
--------------------------------
 
 I have launched the following issue some days ago on
 comp.text.sgml and alt.hypertext; the text here is my
 summary of what I asked and what I learned from the
 replies.
 I would be very glad about everyone who wants to help
 me up another step here or there, has experience to share
 or is simply on the same track. This doesn't mean, of
 course, that I just sit around and wait for you to do
 my job... I'll be glad to cooperate with whatever I find
 out, if it's helpful to somebody.
 
 
*** Text Variants Computer Edition with TEI/SGML ***
 
I want to find or program a way to code literary texts
with textual variants according to TEI standards.
This text shall be presented in a user-friendly fashion,
shall be accessible using the coded structure, but also
-- as freely and openly as possible -- on the word
level for various modes of literary research.
The price for comm.  software should be within reasonable limits.
The amount of work for newly developed software as well.
 
Standards for coding text variants are included in TEI P3,
so this part should be only a minor problem.
If the possibility of predefining a path through these
variants (i.e.: an edition) is not standardized, it should
be easy to add this.
 
There are several solutions for presentation software:
* DynaText: Major flaw: very expensive. I have never seen
  or used it, but several people have suggested that it
  is a useful browser, though with some restrictions.
 
* Mosaic: C. M. Sperberg-McQueen suggested this and it
  sounds intriguing -- because it means that the text
  can be made available around the world (if this is
  what copyright holders want..). I know not enough
  about it, though, to estimate how big the task is
  to incorporate the TEI coded structure so that it
  can be used.
 
* Author/Editor: it's sad to say, but I don't know anything
  about it. Who does?
 
The upper two at least have one big problem: they only allow
browsing -- how elaborate ever -- but they are 'closed',
they don't provide access to the word base by indexing /
searching for semantic patterns / much else I don't dream
of yet. (at least: that's what I think. Wrong?)
WordCruncher is NOT what I need, but some of its functionality
seems valuable to me and is essential for research.
 
So the first features of _my_ software-vision emerge from the
mist as a three-layered monster:
 
      TEI-coded text (e.g. 'Ulysses') with variants
      ---------------------------------------------------------
      user-controlled filter for variants
      and other SGML-coded 'entities' (in a non-tech sense)
      ---------------------------------------------------------
      presentation of the filtered matter, as e.g.:
                    |                     |
      Pure browsing | indexed access      |  Interface for
      (Mosaic)      | (as in WordCruncher)|  user-written analysis-
                                          |  software / dictionnaries
                                             etc. ?
 
 
Question: is this the only / a good approach ?
In what magnitude of development work should one find oneself?
How much is the way -- at least partially -- paved already
by non-commercial software (where one could profit from code
that is written already)? What further functionality or what
traps and blind alleys are suggested by existing software?
(commercial or not)
 
*** EOF ****
 
Thanks for comments or advice  --
                                     T.R.
 
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        * Tobias Rischer                           *
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