Re: Cambridge Communique

At 12:23 PM 9/21/1999 +1000, Renato Iannella wrote:
>
>Point 8 of the "Cambridge Communiqué" [1] says:
>
>  A new simplified XML transfer syntax for RDF and an API
>  for accessing RDF data models should be produced.
>
>Will W3C do this? 
>
>[1] http://www.w3.org/1999/08/27-communique

This meeting between active participants in the XML Schema and RDF
Schema Working Groups covered many topics with an intent to resolve
some convergence points raised during the RDF Schema Proposed
Recommendation review.  The strong consensus of the discussants was
that the application requirements that are being addressed by these
two specifications are different and should not be merged into a
single Schema Recommendation.

We also identified some features of the evolving XML Schema design
that could allow a shorter yet equally precise representation of RDF
statements in XML.  The RDF folks recognize that some applications
would benefit from having such a shorter and simpler syntax.

The meeting did not address the possible scheduling of this work.
My own opinion is that while certain short-cuts in the RDF syntax are
reasonable to discuss before XML Schemas are completed, there will be
additional options available to RDF using the datatyping declarations
added by the XML Schema language.  Therefore it is premature to develop
enhancements to the RDF 1.0 syntax until after an XML Schema
specification has been very nearly completed.  However, there is clear
interest within the W3C to undertake this work at an appropriate time.

Of course, even if another syntax option is defined for RDF the RDF
1.0 syntax remains a W3C Recommendation and should be supported by any
tool that claims conformance to RDF.

-Ralph

Received on Tuesday, 21 September 1999 09:04:10 UTC