RE: uri, urn and info

Hi Patrick:

>		IMO, whether something is on the web or
>		not has less to do with the scheme of a
>		URI denoting it as to whether one can
>		access representations of that thing.

There I must respectfully beg to differ. I assert that there is utility
beyond dereference. And that utility puts that resource (as referenced by
that URI) full square onto the Web. An admission to entry. 

>		I'm sorry to be such a naysayer, but I see the
>		info: URI scheme to be both unnecessary
>		and (more regettable) a hinderance to 
>		establishing a standardised URI based
>		means of referring to key industry terms
>		in a way that maximises their utiity to web
>		and SW agents by merit of providing access
>		to their definitions directly via those URIs.

Would that all namespace authorities be minded to deliver such definitions.
(Yes, really!) Unfortunately I don't see that as happening any time soon
now. So, if there's no authoritative metadata, then getting the identifiers
onto the Web (via a URI) is IMO a pretty darn good start.

Tony

Tony Hammond
Advanced Technology Group, Elsevier
32 Jamestown Road, London NW1 7BY, UK

<tel:+44-20-7424-4445>
<mailto:t.hammond@elsevier.com>

Received on Thursday, 9 October 2003 09:57:52 UTC