Absolute nature of Infoset [base uri]

This question arose in the context of the XPath2 data model.
Paraphrasing a bit, the question asked was, can the value of
dm:base-uri() ever be a relative URI?

Now dm:base-uri() just gets its value from the [base uri] property of
the infoset, so the question becomes, can the value of [base uri] ever
be a relative URI?

The Infoset spec says:

  Several information items have a [base URI] or [declaration base
  URI] property. These are computed according to [XML Base].

And the XML Base spec includes a section on resolving relative URIs.
So I think this all hinges on your understanding of what "computed"
means in the sentence above.

I'm inclined to think it means "make absolute" just as the examples
of the base URI in Section 3 are all "computed" to be absolute.

1. Does the Core WG agree that [base uri] is always absolute (to the
   extent that it can be made absolute, naturally) and

2. If so, should we make that clearer somewhere?

                                        Be seeing you,
                                          norm

-- 
Norman.Walsh@Sun.COM / XML Standards Architect / Sun Microsystems, Inc.
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