The other simple mechanism which, for instance, html encourages of its coders, is to have an 'alt' attribute with anything that is encoded or uses a different namespace. The alt attribute then becomes a mechanism for a 'plain english' explanation which a user agent can use instead of the complex element if it cannot handle it.

<title>This is a mathematical title about the following formula <span xmlns:mathml="http://w3.org/mathml/" alt="Complex calculus formula"><mathml:math>Mathml stuff</mathml:math></span> and its use to solve a prime number problem</title>

or use the current mechanism of alternative titles, so:

<titleInfo>
        <title>This is a mathematical title about the following formula <span xmlns:mathml="http://w3.org/mathml/"><mathml:math>Mathml stuff</mathml:math></span> and its use to solve a prime number problem</title>
        <title type="alternative">This is a mathematical title about the following formula [a complex mathematical formula] and its use to solve a prime number problem</title>
</titleInfo>

Frankly, this second is probably the easiest because it is already in place within the MODS framework!

Doug

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 06:52:00 -0800
"Bruce D'Arcus" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:


> Yeah, you're right this can open up an ugly can of worms. When I agreed
> with Doug the simple span class was a good idea, I was thinking about the
> stuff I see commonly, and which libraries also deal with: quotes within
> titles, and other-language words and phrases.

<snip>

> I imagine most would agree this could be valuable. However, I'm not sure
> where you draw the line, and how. I'm also not sure adding this element
> really presents any problems for librarians, as Doug isn't asking MODS to
> support mathml or other such domain-specific markup. It's true a
> mathmetician sticking mathml or LaTeX code within the element might break
> data portability for that user, it doesn't present any problems for
> libraries; does it? Of course, if math libraries start to want to do
> this...
>
> But maybe we draw the line in not allowing any code that requires another
> DTD or Schema to render?