Re: Definitions of namespace IRI/prefix added to RDF Concepts (was: Re: Ambiguity of "RDF namespace")

Hi Richard,

On Fri, May 11, 2012 at 12:05:42PM +0200, Ivan Herman wrote:
> > There is a new section in the RDF Concepts introduction called ?RDF Vocabularies and Namespace IRIs?:
> > http://dvcs.w3.org/hg/rdf/raw-file/default/rdf-concepts/index.html#vocabularies
> > 
> > It adds new (informative) definitions for the terms ?namespace IRI? and
> > ?namespace prefix?, points out that they're useful for abbreviating IRIs,
> > and points out that the term ?namespace? on its own has no well-defined
> > meaning in an RDF context.
> > 
> > I'm not quite satisfied with it ? it reads a bit like something that belongs into the Primer.
> 
> I feel the same way. I would propose to keep it in the document so that we
> would not loose it, but add a note that this section will, possibly, move to
> a renewed primer.

This is looking good.  Maybe the test should be that if "namespace" is used
anywhere in the formal RDF specs -- except where reference is made specifically
to "XML namespaces" -- it should be included in RDF Concepts.  If it is _not_
used in the specs, then it could go into the Primer (and this section could be
renamed "1.4 RDF Vocabularies").

One small point: instead of 

    but is sometimes incorrectly used to mean “namespace IRI” or “RDF vocabulary”

perhaps:

    but is sometimes informally (and ambiguously) used to mean “namespace IRI”
    or “RDF vocabulary”

...the point being that if something does not have a well-defined meaning,
who's to say it is being used "incorrectly"? ;-)

Tom

-- 
Tom Baker <tom@tombaker.org>

Received on Saturday, 12 May 2012 20:47:02 UTC