Re: The questions and their relationship

I would ask that we broaden the question of string vs reference to its larger form
of syntax vs semantics because the particular symptom which shapes the narrow form
of the dispute here in not the only one already identified in the processing of XML,
and more will raise their heads. Sensible resolution of the larger question now will
save us all a rehash of debating the narrower one.

Respectfully,

Walter Perry


"Paul W. Abrahams" wrote:

> These discussions have dealt with several different questions.  I
>
> think it would be helpful to enumerate them (without prejudice to the answers)
>
> and to verify my hypothesis that the answers to these questions are independent,
>
> i.e., answering one question does not constrain the answer to any other
>
> question.
>
> The questions I'm seeing are:
>
> 1. Should relative URIs be disallowed, possibly through deprecation, as
> namespace names in the sense of the Namespace Specification?
>
> 2. When comparing URI's for equality, should the comparison be based on their
> literal string representation, possibly after some simple normalizations, or
> should it be based in some way (possibly using absolutization for relative
> URI's) on what resource those URI's refer to?   (Different specs appear to
> suggest different answers.)
>
> 3. Should the URI reference in a namespace attribute point to a resource of
> some kind that at least hints at (and perhaps defines completely) the meaning
> of the names used within that namespace, or should it have only the
> significance of a unique identifier?   The Namespace Specification
> categorically says that its only significance is that of a unique identifier,
> but TimBL has suggested that this answer may be the wrong one.
>
> Does that cover the principal questions we're examining?   Are the answers
> independent, as it seems to me they are?
>
> Paul Abrahams

Received on Thursday, 18 May 2000 15:36:12 UTC