RE: Using XMLSchema-instance attributes in RDF/XML Syntax

> I have seen some of the discussions in the various lists of using xsi:type
> for data typing in RDF.  I don't claim to understand most of the issues
> associated with this, but I would like to humbly suggest that at the very
> least there should be some language in the "RDF/XML Syntax
> Specification" to
> the effect that attributes in the XMLSchema-instance namespace should be
> ignored by RDF parsers, similar to what is done with the xml* attributes.

Okay I haven't thought this through much, but it seems to me that:

1. Some of the possible value of XML Schema Instance in RDF/XML may
disappear when OWL allows similar typing (for the simple types at least).
2. If (I'll leave that "if" open) it is inappropriate to process XML Schema
Instance attributes as RDF then it is likely that there will be other such
namespaces; either rivals to XML Schema, or serving another purpose that is
similarly unrelated to the documents purpose of encoding RDF.
3. Ideally RDF/XML and XML Schema shouldn't be linked strongly. For that
matter neither of those technologies should be linked strongly to any other
technology if it can be helped, strong bindings between technologies hamper
the development of both by forcing them to run a three-legged race together.

As such if there is a value in ignoring attributes from the XML Schema
Instance namespace then it would be better provided by a mechanism that
allows the author of the RDF/XML to state a list of namespace prefixes which
should all be ignored in this manner.

I can see xsi:nil being troublesome.

Received on Tuesday, 20 August 2002 19:09:09 UTC