Re: RDF Schema confusion in RDF Primer

Garret Wilson wrote:

> In the RDF Primer working draft 26 April 2002, the following section is
> included, copied from the old RDF Schema working draft:
> 
> <!-- Note: this RDF schema would typically be used in RDF instance data
> by referencing it with an XML namespace declaration, for example
> xmlns:xyz="http://www.w3.org/2000/03/example/vehicles#".  This allows
> us to use abbreviations such as xyz:MotorVehicle to refer
> unambiguously to the RDF class 'MotorVehicle'. -->
> 
> That's correct for *usage* of the RDF vocabulary being defined, but it's not
> clear (and was not clear in the old RDF Schema specification) that in order
> for IDs to actually work for *defining* the RDF vocabulary, an
> xml:base="http://www.w3.org/2000/03/example/vehicles" will have to be
> present.


My reading would have been that what this example omitted in the 
original Schema document was a qualification along the lines of 
"assuming the schema was located at 
http://www.w3.org/2000/03/example/vehicles..." (was XML Base in 
existence when the original Schema document was finalized?).  Given that 
qualification, I don't believe xml:base *has* to be present, since 
xml:base is used to specify a base URI *other than the base URI of the 
document* (when you need such an alternate base URI).  On the other 
hand, it's certainly true that the Primer currently doesn't explain the 
use of xml:base.

--Frank


 
 


-- 
Frank Manola                   The MITRE Corporation
202 Burlington Road, MS A345   Bedford, MA 01730-1420
mailto:fmanola@mitre.org       voice: 781-271-8147   FAX: 781-271-875

Received on Saturday, 4 May 2002 18:19:24 UTC