Version numbers for Infoset and Canonicalization drafts

The XML Core WG has come to believe that it is appropriate to
add XML version information to the Infoset and the Canonicalization
(c14n) working drafts, both now in Last Call.  This message
serves as notice of our intent to make this change before
the working drafts move to the next status.

NOTICE: The Core WG is not bound by the details of this message,
as they are merely the editor's initial proposal and have not
been discussed.

In order for anything to appear in Canonical XML, it must be
a core feature of the Infoset.  Therefore, the XML version number
will be added as a core feature of the document information item
(clause 2.1).  A corresponding change will be made to clause
2.1 of the c14n working draft.

Canonical XML documents will therefore begin with an XML declaration
exactly like this:  <xml version="1.0"> followed by a single newline,
for a total of 20 characters.  Since Canonical XML is always encoded
in UTF-8, which does not require an encoding declaration, none is present.
Although Canonical XML documents are always standalone, no standalone
declaration is required, since no DOCTYPE declaration is present.
Grammar rule 1 in clause 5 will be adjusted to suit.

Rationale:  By representing the version number in the Infoset, we
allow processors for future versions of XML to expose either a 1.0
compatible Infoset or a later version of the Infoset, and allow
applications to distinguish between them.  By encoding the XML
version number in Canonical XML, we ensure that no confusion can
result between documents that differ only in XML version number,
and therefore potentially in significance.

-- 

Schlingt dreifach einen Kreis vom dies! || John Cowan <jcowan@reutershealth.com>
Schliesst euer Aug vor heiliger Schau,  || http://www.reutershealth.com
Denn er genoss vom Honig-Tau,           || http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
Und trank die Milch vom Paradies.            -- Coleridge (tr. Politzer)

Received on Thursday, 20 January 2000 18:37:19 UTC