Re: i0001: EPRs as identifiers

* Francisco Curbera <curbera@us.ibm.com> [2004-11-13 12:34-0500]
> However, in the case of EPRs the ability to issue multiple different ones
> for the same endpoint is a fundamental requirement. There are situations
> where multiple access channels to the endpoint are provided but they need
> to be selectively exposed to different clients; the hosting infrastructure
> may issue different EPRs to different clients such that a client
> application would be able unable to tell whether they correspond to the
> same resource or not. To abuse the snail mail metaphor a bit more, the
> address that is encoded in a letter sent to me cannot be used to identify
> me in the way my social security number can, but is useful if you want to
> get your letters to me. I have several mail addresses but a single social
> security number. The notion of address assumes that the same entity may
> have many, in contrast with the notion of identity (as the Web Arch.
> document recognizes).

An address is an identifier which has a particular purpose: to
address/direct something to a particular place.

IOW, it may not be the identifier you want to use for certain things
in replacement of your SSN, but yet, your snail mail address allows me
to identify you for certain purposes, e.g. the person at this address
owes my company $20 because he bought a CD from us that we delivered
to this address.

I believe that Dave is right in saying that the key question to
approach this issue is whether EPRs are used to identify something,
and I believe that the answer is yes.

Cheers,

Hugo

-- 
Hugo Haas - W3C
mailto:hugo@w3.org - http://www.w3.org/People/Hugo/

Received on Monday, 15 November 2004 18:52:45 UTC