ODF-changes2

This project is intended to assist the Standardization Committee preparing the standard for a syntax named XML Change ML (short for XML Change Markup Language) that allows for accurately describe any incremental change and edit to the content and structure of (compound) XML documents, typically in multiple editing sessions by different authors.

OpenDocument already supports a track changes mechanism, but this is limited in scope and functionality. This project's contribution will be used as one of the starting points of the work of the XML Change Markup Language SC.

The goal is to create a generic syntax that will allow for 100% reliable capturing of differences between different versions and states of office document of any class (text documents, spreadsheets, presentations), including those that have been enhanced by custom XML markup. Change should thus provide a futureproof, application neutral syntax, that should even be capable of being used to provide change tracking between versions of documents as they are converted to yet unpublished versions of the OpenDocument Format specification, using features not currently available - although this might involve significant complexity on the side of the software in meaningfully presenting this to users.