Re: Request for review: XOP

Speaking for myself and not officially for XMLP, I think it's also worth 
pointing out that the XMLP workgroup is preparing a related working draft, 
known as MTOM, that provides for XOP to be used for optimizing the 
transmission of SOAP messages.  So, SOAP is one of the use cases for XOP, 
though we also hope that XOP will be considered by non-SOAP users of XML 
who may have similar needs to embed binary content.  The current editors' 
copy of MTOM is at [1].  We are also doing some work that may lead to 
standardization of markup that would indicate the mime type of base64 
encoded streams, with the understanding that such markup would commonly be 
used in conjunction with MTOM.   I'm not sure whether this mime typing 
work has reached the point that there is a copy you should be reviewing; I 
suggest that you keep in touch with our chair David Fallside if you are 
interested in that aspect of our work.

I hope this informal update is useful to you as you follow up on Mark's 
suggestion that you evaluate XOP.   Again, this note does not necessarily 
represent the opinions of or input from other members of the XMLP 
workgroup, though since we do our work in public, there is no particular 
secret about the developments I've discussed, except insofar as they are 
work in progress and we may not in all cases have reached consensus as to 
which will move forward.  I think it's fair to say that at least XOP and 
MTOM are very much on a recommendation track.

Noah

[1] 
http://www.w3.org/2000/xp/Group/3/06/Attachments/OptimizationMechanism.html

--------------------------------------
Noah Mendelsohn 
IBM Corporation
One Rogers Street
Cambridge, MA 02142
1-617-693-4036
--------------------------------------








Mark Nottingham <mark.nottingham@bea.com>
Sent by: xml-dist-app-request@w3.org
04/30/2004 06:05 PM

 
        To:     www-dom@w3.org
        cc:     XMLP Dist App <xml-dist-app@w3.org>, (bcc: Noah Mendelsohn/Cambridge/IBM)
        Subject:        Request for review: XOP



The XML Protocol Working Group would like to bring one of its work 
items, XML-binary Optimized Packaging (XOP) [1] to the attention of the 
DOM Working Group.

XOP is an alternate serialization of XML that provides Infoset 
fidelity, while making it possible to gain efficiencies when 
base64-encoded content is present in elements.

In particular, although the content is conceptually base64-encoded 
(i.e., it shows up as such in an Infoset abstraction), it is in fact 
binary data when serialized; a MIME multipart package contains the XML 
with references out to the binary data in attachments.

However, to enable applications to obtain the full benefit of the this 
serialization, it is necessary for slight changes to existing APIs, so 
that they can access the raw binary stream, rather than the character 
representation of it.

Because of this, the XML Protocol Working Group would like the DOM WG 
(or IG) to consider how this might be accommodated in DOM. We would be 
glad to discuss the use cases, practical considerations, etc. with you, 
at your convenience.

We would also appreciate any feedback, as we anticipate being in Last 
Call soon.

1. http://www.w3.org/2000/xp/Group/3/06/Attachments/XOP.html

On behalf of the XMLP WG,

--
Mark Nottingham   Principal Technologist
Office of the CTO   BEA Systems

Received on Friday, 30 April 2004 22:55:17 UTC