RE: RDF/XML Syntax problems with datatyping literals

On Mon, 2 Sep 2002 Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com wrote:

> So, you are proposing a new term rdf:ltype?
>
> I still strongly feel that the introduction of a new term is avoidable
> and that the concerns about using rdf:type previously voiced were based
> on a misunderstanding about the treatment of empty data content taken
> as a null lexical form.
>
> There is the question of where the balance lies between making things
> easiest for implementors versus easiest for users -- particularly when
> we consider that the number of parsers being written are many orders
> of magnitude less than other applications and still even less than
> schemas and RDF instances. Even if it means a bit more work to use rdf:type
> rather than some other term such as rdf:ltype when updating the parsers,
> that's work done once -- and if it results in greater clarity and usabilty
> to users in general, then I would think it worth that little bit of extra
> effort.
>
> Dave, given the clarifications above about null literals, would you actually
> find it overly burdensome to support the use of rdf:type rather than some
> other term?

Given that position, I can't support the Dting proposal. It seems
bizarre to single out zero-length strings for special treatment.

I _am_ aware that there's a cost involved with introducing
rdf:lexicalType (or, urg, an abbreviated form like rdf:ltype) but I
think it's a better approach than using rdf:type to do this.

-- 
jan grant, ILRT, University of Bristol. http://www.ilrt.bris.ac.uk/
Tel +44(0)117 9287088 Fax +44 (0)117 9287112 http://ioctl.org/jan/
Work #90: As many pseudo-intellectual sycophants as necessary to make one
inarticulate scotsman think he's a genius in command of The Profound.

Received on Monday, 2 September 2002 09:05:58 UTC