Response of the XML Query WG to the comments by Martin Bryan

Dear Martin Bryan,

thank you for your comments on the XML Query Requirements document
(http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/WD-xmlquery-req-20000131).
The working group has discussed them and has come to the
following conclusions.

Martin Bryan wrote:

> There would seem to be some requirements relating to internationalization
> that may not be covered by the current requirements for XQL. For example,
> there is no clear statement on the relationship of UTF8 and the process of
> aggregation. I feel that there should be some statement saying that
> numerical aggregation to produce totals from query results should be
> possible when numbers are expressed using different sets of numeric codes.
> (It is unclear what limits, if any, aggregation has on permitted operations,
> or the expression of operators.)
>

The XML Query WG is well aware of the ramifications
of internationalization for operations on strings and number codes.
These are complex issues. As indicated in Section 4
"Related Activities->Internationalization" the XML Query group will
work with the I18N and other WGs to make sure that these issues
are covered adequately.

>
> There should also be some mechanism whereby operands (and possibly
> operators) can be expressed in terms of linguistic variations of terms,  by
> reference to an external resource that identifies equivalent terms in
> different languages or in different domains within the same language (e.g.
> to equate terms like ZIP and PostCode).
>

The XML Query WG does not plan to directly support the use of external
resources (such as thesauri) to deal with variations on names of operands
(and operators). However, applications of XML Query which rewrite
queries to cope with terminological variations are definitely possible.


> Martin Bryan
> Technical Manager, The Diffuse Project
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------------------------------------
> The SGML Centre, 29 Oldbury Orchard, Churchdown, Glos GL3 2PU, UK
> Phone/Fax: +44 1452 714029  E-mail: mtbryan@diffuse.org
>
> For details of The SGML Centre visit http://www.sgml.u-net.com
>
> For details of the EU-funded DIFFUSE project visit http://www.diffuse.org

Best regards,

Peter Fankhauser

Received on Thursday, 30 March 2000 10:04:42 UTC