> Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 12:21:38 +0100
> From: Robert Sanderson <[log in to unmask]>
>
> > OK, I hereby cite case-insensitivity as a requirement.  It's
> > crucial for sorting union catalogues where the original
> > collections used different case conventions.  If I look for
> > Kernighan books in a ucat, I want "Software Tools" sorted next to
> > "SOFTWARE TOOLS".
>
> But is there a requirement for the /distinction/ or can we just say
> 'Sort should be treated as case insensitive' ?

Are you seriously suggesting that we, who are trying to craft an IR
protocol that is not a mere toy, should mandate that sorting may NEVER
respect case?  There are plenty of reasons why that won't do.

For example, consider getting a directory listing on Unix.  Many
people (me included) use filenames beginning with capitals for
"special" files because we know they'll be sorted separately:
"COPYING" and "Makefile" and "README" won't be listed interleaved with
"delete.c" and "parse.y".

So what if I want to be able to use SRW to get a case-sensitively
sorted directory listing?  Or a list of sendmail.cf directives?  Or of
authors where I want "deLorean" to be treated differently from
"Deloitte" and "Dern"?

 _/|_    _______________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor   <[log in to unmask]>   www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  "The most important single aspect of software development
         is to be clear about what you are trying to build" --
         Bjarne Stroustrup.