Re: Simple solution? Pub. Idents. vs URN.

[Paul Prescod]
 
> The Web has it's own ways to identify objects: let's use them (URLs now, URIs later).  Once XML is a success, then we can improve the Web based on our experiences in "standard" SGML implementations.

That doesn't always work.  Legacy builds it's own momentum and the fait
accompli 
becomes the rule of practice.  If the FPI provides capabilities which
XML 
users need, must have, then now is exactly the time to discuss it
because it 
will be very difficult to introduce later.  The Sounds Good Maybe Later
(SGML) 
approach has consistently failed in the past. 
 
> I think Tim Bray's a) b) and c) points are great and should be used as an acid test > for discussions.  Can XML be work without FPI?  Yes.  Then, because they are not > easily implementable, let's move on and define some linking syntax.

I think the Web starts with the URL.  The URN has a lot of work behind
it.
So do FPIs and credible members of the list are asking for it per Jon's
instructions to open the issue now.  No, let's not descend into long 
and circular debates, but let's list the requirements, make sure we 
can do without the FPI if we think it is indeed to hard to implement 
or will not be supported by a system component that even if hard to 
build, is only built once, or provided by a system vendor (e.g, 
is in the tool kit that comes from the platform vendor like MFC 
objects or Active-X/OLE objects).  Tim's points are great, but 
other than keeping up on the track of system requirements vs 
document management theory, we still must pursue the FPI until 
we know that we can safely punt.

len bullard

Received on Friday, 29 November 1996 11:14:09 UTC