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Turning this discussion back round towards XML (or at least standards), an interesting example of "uncitation" practice has just come to my attention. An official comment has been made on the terms and definitions section of a draft ISO standard, stating that it is inappropriate in this context to mention the originator of a term, as all that a user of the standard needs to know is what it means. More generally in the standards world it is normal for contributions to the text to be unattributed. (Other standards, and certain external documents, are cited.) It establishes a kind of house homogeneity and authority. Another example, in the press, is the absence of personal bylines in The Economist or on newswire services.
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