Re: requesting XML records

> Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 23:59:28 +0100
> From: "Theo van Veen" <Theo.vanVeen@kb.nl>
>
> > So what we seem to be converging on is the following agreement:
> > "When we are requesting XML records, the element-set name can be
> > construed to mean whatever the profile wants it to".  But that's
> > _always_ been true, whatever record syntax is requested.
> > 
> > So what have we actually _done_ here?  Anything?
> 
> OK, probably that's not the way to put it and I should rely on my
> former formulation:
> 
> DCX means that the XML records are encoding according to the DCMI
> guidelines and contain terms from the dc and dcterms namespaces. The
> records may contain terms from other namespaces when they could not
> - within reason - be expressed by terms from the dc and dcterms
> namespaces. It is recommended that as much as possible terms from
> DCMI registered elementsets are being used.

OK, this is more precise, which is good; but this definition of the
meaning of "DCX" will not, of course, because a part of Z39.50 itself:
it's merely profiling, so you'll put that prose in your profile.  But
you were _always_ at liberty to write your own profile that gives its
own meaning to any element-set name you chose.  So what has changed
here?  What have we given you that you didn't already have?

So I think your problem remains just as bad as it was before: your
client can ask for XML records with the "element-set name" DCX, but
unless my server's signed up to your profile, it can do what it wants
in response.  Just as it could before we even had this discussion.

So is that it?  The answer to all your problems was: profile them.

 _/|_	 _______________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor  <mike@indexdata.com>  http://www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  "If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her
	 friends?" -- Steven Wright.

--
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Received on Friday, 28 March 2003 18:19:16 UTC