Re: URIs in RDF (Was: New Intro to RDF)

Charles McCathieNevile wrote:
> 
> On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 15:20:52 +0200, Jacek Kopecky 
> <jacek.kopecky@deri.org> wrote:
> 
>> So I cannot choose to use http://w3.org/ to mean my car, and I don't
>> think anything on the web gives anybody the opposite idea.
> 
> Nonsense. Of course you can. There is a social convention that you 
> don't, and nothing more.

I think the term 'social convention' is a bit weak, although I agree 
'cannot' is too strong.

Social convention suggests things like passing the port the correct way 
round the table, or wearing clothes to church. If you're immune to 
social pressures such things are meaningless (although the vicar may 
call the police).

However using http://w3.org/ feels reckless since it's out of your 
hands. One day you're happily using http://w3.org/car, the next you find 
w3c have a 'CSS and RDF' working group, and most of what you've said 
about that rusting heap is considered arrant nonsense. 'C&RWG has a 
problematic drive shaft?'

Using other people's namespace is clearly bad form, and we'll all frown 
at such oafish behaviour. But it's also very risky in practice, since 
you're throwing yourself (and the intelligibility of what you say) on 
the mercy of others.

Damian

Received on Sunday, 9 October 2005 20:30:35 UTC