What's [in] a resource?

At 05:31 PM 2000-05-23 +0100, Miles Sabin wrote:
>John Cowan wrote
>> Miles Sabin wrote:
>> > That just doesn't wash because resources are made of bits,
>> > which live in filesystems or memory, or get generated by
>> > processes running on distinctly non-abstract boxes full 
>> > chips and stuff; and they're retrievable because bunches of 
>> > bits can be transferred over wires.
>>
>> Nope, it's *entity bodies* that are made of bits (actually, a 
>> pile of octets plus a MIME media type).
>
>I disagree.
>
>You're missing a (subtle I grant you) contrast. A resource is
>_made_of_bits_, an entity body _is_ bits.
>

Sorry, that is just wrong.  A resource may be represented by a diad of a
collection of bits and a collection of abstract forms.  But generally not
just by bits.  There have to be formal connotations bound to the bits or
you haven't represented the resource.

Al

Received on Tuesday, 23 May 2000 14:23:40 UTC