Re: RFC2518 (WebDAV) / RFC2396 (URI) inconsistency

Hi Jim,

> As a result, I recommend that the XML namespace recommendation be modified
> to allow the use of just the URI scheme name as a namespace identifier,
> perhaps limited to just members of the set of non-hierarchical URIs. It
> seems clear to me that the XML namespace recommendation was written with
> only the class of hierarchical URIs in mind,

I can't see why you'd believe that.  Namespaces are often URNs, for
example.

> and as a result it's not too
> surprising that a glitch arose in the first use with non-hierarchical URIs.
> Based on Julian's experience, and our experience with multiple WebDAV
> implementations, accepting a URI scheme name as a namespace identifier would
> codify existing, interoperable, practice.

IMO, a URI scheme has identity, and so should be able to be identified
by a URI reference.

Perhaps a compromise here would be to treat "DAV:" as a relative URI
reference.  A 2518 revision could include the use of XML Base, or its
own base-declaring mechanism, allowing future DAV specifications and
processors to use URIs to evolve, while existing processors could be
seen to be assuming a base URI.  Thoughts?

MB
-- 
Mark Baker, CSO, Planetfred.
Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA.
mbaker@planetfred.com

Received on Tuesday, 20 November 2001 22:51:50 UTC