Re: Minority Opinion on external linksets in XLink

> Minority Opinion on external linksets in XLink
> 
> From: Paul Grosso (pgrosso@arbortext.com)
 
> We need such an out-of-band way to address the read-only use case
> already, so some way of including a reference to a linkbase in a
> package is already necessary.  Also providing an in-band way just
> adds to the complexity of tools and priority/resolution issues
> when both methods are used at the same time.
 
While I agree with Paul that this is an architectural issue that would
be best resolved by some leadership from the XML CG or higher (i.e., 
either to say "yes, wait for packaging" or "no, do not rely on the
advent of packaging"),  could I suggest that the Linking WG include
a paragraph explaining that the role attribute can already be used for
a kind of packaging mechanism?

In particular, I think every WG should make a URL giving the 
application domain in which they are working in. So the Schema
WG should make a URL (or at least, a URN)
	http://www.w3.org/application-type/schema
that can be used as the value of the role attribute to point
to any schemas (of any kind, not just XML Schemas). 

This framework is nascent in XLink, and I think it would provide
a very positive way forward for packaging and many other groups.
The paragraph could be added as an explanatory comment on "role"
without altering any functionality or semantics of the current
WD, and perhaps without requiring any architectural decisions from 
above or below. 

Actually, I would prefer for the XLink spec to be accompanied by
an annex or trailing spec giving URNs for
	* stylesheet
	* schema
	* linkset
	* data
	* transformation 
	* RDF document
	* composite document/package
Nothing too contraversial need be included, but anything would be
a big step forward.


Rick Jelliffe

Academia Sinica Computing Centre

Received on Thursday, 17 February 2000 14:36:10 UTC