RE: Precise Definition for Interoperability Needed (Was RE: [Minutes] 6-7 Feb 2003 TAG ftf meeting (why XML))

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dan Connolly [mailto:connolly@w3.org] 
> Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 1:38 PM
> To: Bullard, Claude L (Len)
> Cc: www-tag@w3.org
> 
> The relevant text we're seeking consensus on is section 
> 3.3.1. When to use XML 
> http://www.w3.org/2001/tag/2002/webarch-20030206#format-specs
> 
> Suggestions for improving that text are more interesting, at 
> this point, than picking up random points out of the context 
> of the meeting.
> 
> Please direct your suggestions to Chris
> in particular (with copy to www-tag) as
> he has the action to do the next draft for review of section 
> 3 on formats.
> http://www.w3.org/2003/02/06-tag-summary#archdoc-cl

Before one can suggest modifications to the document there are probably
a few questions that could bear answering first. 

>3.3.1. When to use XML

Who is the audience for this section? Most of the people I know who
interact with XML don't use it on the WWW so this leaves web content
authors, web site owners and potentially the XML web services folks. 

>For example, an audio or video format is unlikely to be well suited to
representation in XML.

So basically the TAG is denouncing activity like MPEG-7's[0]? This would
probably be a good time for the TAG to acknowledge the difference
between UnicodeWithAngleBrackets (XML 1.0 syntax) and XML infosets
especially since the latter is favored in several recent W3C activities.


> 1. Explicit representation of the hierarchical structure 

Agreed. 

> 2. Persistence; there is lots of redundancy 

I have no idea what this means. 

> 3. Facilitates internationalization 

Agreed. 

> 4. Clean error-handling; early detection of errors 

This needs clarification. 

> 5. Mix of structure and text or data content 

Ditto. 

> 6. Composability of multiple namespaces 

Ditto. 

I have a lot more questions but they depend on the answers to the ones
above. This entire section looks like a rough outline that and not
something that is ready for review. 

>3.3.2. XML Namespaces and Namespace Documents

This section only lives up to half of its name. Lots of discussion on
namespace documents but very little on XML namespaces. 


[0] http://www.xml.com/pub/r/1089

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Received on Tuesday, 11 February 2003 17:48:36 UTC