Re: Meta Data Handling

Yaron,

At 01:04 AM 3/18/97 -0800, Yaron Goland wrote:
>In order to keep the meta-data model "light", I further propose that
>meta-data take the form of a header. In addition I recommend that
>meta-data behave like headers in that multiple pieces of meta-data with
>the same header name must be unambiguously combinable using commas.

Several approaches to representing and transporting metadata have recently
been discussed (elsehwere). Syntactically these range from extensions of
PICS (s-expressions) to the use of XML. What are the advantages of the
syntax you are proposing?

If I understand correctly your are proposing a flat namespace of attributes
without any object-model behind it. I do not think this is a good idea.
Choosing attribute names arbitrarily will eventually lead to name
collisions. It is also conceivable that people will define "schemata" for
metadata for various purposes (e.g. the Dublin Core). This would also allow
the definition of default values. The schemata could be referred to via
URLs (at least the URLs could name the schemata like in PICS services are
named).

BTW, PICS labels can already be requested and transported via HTTP.

	- Ora

--
Ora Lassila, <lassila@w3.org>, http://www.w3.org/pub/WWW/People/Lassila
Visiting Scientist (from Nokia Research Center)                         
World Wide Web Consortium, MIT/LCS
phone: +1 (617) 238-4908

Received on Tuesday, 18 March 1997 09:35:59 UTC