Re: N3 syntax in XHTML 2 [was RE: DC in XHTML2]

Mark Birbeck wrote:
> Hi Sjoerd,
> 
> 
>>Mark Birbeck wrote:
>>
>>>Personally I would prefer to see a syntax for URIs that copes with 
>>>both QNames and URIs in the same attribute--it's what I'd 
>>
>>hoped when I 
>>
>>>first started work on RDF/A, and is in effect what N3 does. Then it 
>>>ceases to be the responsibility of the mark-up, and moves 
>>
>>to the realm 
>>
>>>of the attribute processing.
>>
>>Why not actually adopt N3 for HTML?
>>Then the about, rel, rev, property, role and resource 
>>attributes can either be a qname, or a uri inside <>, or a 
>>literal or an anonymous node etc.
> 
> 
> I'd always hoped it would be possible to come up with a syntax that would do
> this. The problem with using N3 specifically is that it uses '<' and '>' on
> URIs, which does get a bit awkward in XML documents--but I do agree with you
> that the principle is there.

I think actually using N3, instead of a solution based on N3, has some 
extra advantages.

First, it allows you to use the full power of RDF in HTML. Take f.e. 
collections, which would become a big mess of link and/or meta elements 
with the current attributes.

Secondly it will make more people aware of N3. N3 is a very pretty 
syntax, and it could improve the image of RDF.

Thirdly, it will improve the chances of microformats using RDF. At some 
point, microformats will require more than some simple attributes, and 
someone will invent some syntax to put more information into one 
attribute. If full N3 is already available in XHTML2, it is likely that 
people will push to use the standard N3, instead of a proprietary syntax.

-- 
Sjoerd Visscher
http://w3future.com/weblog/

Received on Friday, 10 June 2005 07:56:48 UTC