Re: Syntax and semantics

• From: Chris Angus <Chris.Angus@btinternet.com>
• Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 15:58:24 +0100
• To: <xml-uri@w3.org>
• Message-ID: <001b01bfc010$5fd57e60$9b21fea9@kanga>

It seems to me that the precise definition of semantics is immaterial to the
issue.

TimBL wrote "In a distributed system, the semantics must be carried by the
message.".  I would suggest that it is not the semantics that must be
carried by the message but rather sufficient means to allow an intended
recipient of the message to identify the same mapping between the message
and the meaning of the message as that used by the sender.  It would seem to
me that namespaces are intended to provide the mechanism for the
identification of the mapping (in order to uniquely establish identity)
without (rightly I would suggest) being concerned with the form of the
mapping.

Chris Angus

Received on Wednesday, 17 May 2000 10:57:06 UTC