Names and addresses

I don't like to interrupt the standardization going on in this group, but
I've grown increasingly frustrated that people with otherwise very
respectable opinions seem to "outgrow" the idea that names and addresses
should be kept separate. Why?

I like the distinction between names and addresses. While URIs are
generally considered opaque, I think one should at least be able to see on
a scheme name what is supposed to happen when you activate/use the URI.

Consequently, I don't like seeing "http" being used for other things than
addresses to resources that are retrievable from a web (HTTP) server. I'm
using addresses for things that are network retrievable, and names for
things that are not. From my point of view, there is never a need to
resolve a name.

Names are useful to make sure two programs are talking about the same
things. Addresses are useful to fetch resources. I think these are two
separate problems. Names have good use in ontologies. Fetching resourses is
an entirely different matter.

My world may be small, but this view is crystal clear to me. What are the
counter-arguments?

Gustaf

Received on Thursday, 16 October 2003 04:12:42 UTC