Re: Explaining the benefits of http-range14 (was Re: [HTTP-range-14] Hyperthing: Semantic Web URI Validator (303, 301, 302, 307 and hash URIs) )

Kingsley Idehen wrote:
> On 10/20/11 2:38 AM, Michael Smethurst wrote:
>> name = generic information resource urblah
>>
> You assign names to data objects. A data object is an encapsulation of 
> data that can be simple of complex. In all cases data objects are 
> accessible via addresses. In all cases, you access a data object via  
> act of de-reference (irrespective of levels of indirection).
>>
>> address = specific representation url (exposed in content location 
>> headers and rel="alternate" < forgot that bit earlier)
>>
> address (a URL) = how you get at the data, basically, data object access 
> is the prime function. That isn't necessarily the case if you use a URL 
> as a generic name i.e., one doesn't assume data object access, you can 
> only assume data object identification.
> 
> The intuition challenge here is that URLs are being perceived as being 
> indistinguishable from URIs at both the functional and conceptual 
> levels. A URL being a kind of URI implies they are related but not 
> identical. Thus, using URLs as data object names is quite *unintuitive* 
> but extremely *ingenious*, especially in the context of the World Wide Web.

Trying to follow, can you confirm:

   URL = Absolute / non-frag URI?
   URI = URI-with-frag?

And you're suggesting that we do not name things, rather we name data 
objects (each data object "represents"/"describes" a thing), and since 
they are data objects we can name them with either a URL or a URI, the 
only distinction being that when naming with a URL (and no redirect) you 
can only provide a serialization of one data object in response to a 
lookup on an address (URL), whereas with a URI you can can provide a 
serialization of several data objects (since URI contains a URL).

Or are you saying that a URL = an address and a URI = a name, and a 
single URI is not (or cannot be both) a name and an address?

Or, are you saying that we can use a single URL/URI as both a name and 
an address (which afaict, everybody already does).

Best,

Nathan

Received on Thursday, 20 October 2011 11:41:08 UTC