- From: John A. Kunze <jak@ckm.ucsf.edu>
- Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2001 11:16:19 -0700 (PDT)
- To: "Roy T. Fielding" <fielding@ebuilt.com>
- cc: "Sean B. Palmer" <sean@mysterylights.com>, <uri@w3.org>, <www-rdf-interest@w3.org>
> On Fri, 3 Aug 2001, Roy T. Fielding wrote: > > ... Persistence is not, and never has > been, a function of the syntax used to create the name. Exactly. This is the sentiment that inspired the pragmatic approach of the ARK naming scheme (Archival Resource Key), http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-kunze-ark-01.txt which says: A founding principle of the ARK is that persistence is purely a matter of service. Persistence is neither inherent in an object nor conferred on it by a particular naming syntax. Rather, persistence is achieved through a provider's successful stewardship of objects and their identifiers. The highest level of persistence will be reinforced by a provider's robust contingency, redundancy, and succession strategies. It is further safeguarded to the extent that a provider's mission is shielded from marketplace and political instabilities. The first requirement of an ARK is to give users a link from an object to a promise of stewardship for it. That promise is a multi- faceted covenant that binds the word of an identified service provider to a specific set of responsibilities. No one can tell if successful stewardship will take place because no one can predict the future. Reasonable conjecture, however, may be based on past performance. There must be a way to tie a promise of persistence to a provider's demonstrated or perceived ability -- its reputation -- in that arena. Provider reputations would then rise and fall as promises are observed variously to be kept and broken. This is perhaps the best way we have for gauging the strength of any persistence promise. In my not especially humble opinion, the ARK clears up many of the issues that have bedeviled URNs. If nothing else, I hope the ARK draft will change the level of public debate on persistent identification. I think people interested in URNs will find it worthwhile reading. -John
Received on Saturday, 4 August 2001 14:15:32 UTC