- From: Al Gilman <asgilman@iamdigex.net>
- Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 13:09:58 -0500
- To: abrahams@acm.org, David Brownell <david-b@pacbell.net>
- Cc: John Aldridge <john.aldridge@informatix.co.uk>, xml-dev@xml.org, xml-uri@w3.org
At 12:06 PM 2000-05-26 -0400, Paul W. Abrahams wrote:
>David Brownell wrote:
>
>> The "XML Namespaces" specification is quite clear that the
>> purpose of a namespace "Universal Resource IDENTIFIER" is
>> identification, not location.
>>
>> Were the purpose of those namespace URIs to be location
>> (as in: dereference to get a schema) then the spec would
>> have used a "Universal Resource LOCATOR".
>>
>> URIs are very fit for the purpose of identification. And
>> that's the task/purpose identified in the namespace spec.
>>
>> There's a clear line between identifying something ("my auto,
>> which has been stolen" -- it's got a Vehicle IDENTIFICATION
>> number [VIN] too!) and locating it.
>
>There's a difference between a VIN and a namespace name. A VIN identifies a
>particular object such as your car. A namespace name need not be associated
>with any object, real or virtual, at all. The problem with URIs is that
>they're overloaded with an irrelevant significance, namely, identifying
>resources. Any unique identifier would serve the purpose, and one with no
>connotations would serve it better.
>
>But I agree with your main point, which is that the purpose of namespace
names
>is not to locate anything.
>
>Paul Abrahams
>
You're both lost in outer space. The purpose of the VIN is because it help
you locate your stolen car.
Al
Received on Friday, 26 May 2000 12:58:20 UTC