XML and "Federated" Data

[Nik O]

Chris Maden wrote:
>
>No, XML does not relieve you of analyzing your data.

What Chris said is too true.  Since XML only defines syntax, the actual
format of element and attribute data is up to the application.  XML Schemas
are still numerous and ill-defined, but Microsoft is charging ahead with an
EDI flavor of XML (see "http://www.biztalk.org").  For bibliographic
metadata, you might wish to look at OCLC's Dublin Core effort (see
"http://www.oclc.org/oclc/research/projects/core/oldindex.htm" or go to
"http://www.oclc.org" and search on "Dublin Code" for more links).

<tangent>
Earlier, Chris Maden wrote:
>
>..for Britain and Canada, I believe the syntax is 3 3
>with numbers or letters (9X9 X9X maybe?).
>
>[snip]
>
>A friend working on a prison database system
>tells me they have six values for gender.

FWIW, i believe the UK uses numeric postal codes.  Canada does use "9X9 X9X"
codes (e.g. "T1A 3J2").

<wry_aside>Chris, are you another prog who's done time writing COBOL?  That
pattern syntax seems vaguely familiar -- and will now cause me to have
mainframe nightmares again ;-).
</wry_aside>

Six?  I thought there were only five (m, f, neuter, m-to-f, and f-to-m).
What's the sixth?  I know this is somewhat off-topic, but i'd hate to see
the XML community repeat the all-too-common mistake of describing human
gender as a binary value!
</tangent>

Regards,
-Nik O, Content Mgmt Solutions, Jackson, Wyo.



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