XML Information Set Requirements, W3C Note 18-February-1999

[Marcus Carr]

Clark Evans wrote:

> > This document lists the design principles and requirements for
> > the XML Information Set, a meta-model for XML documents
>
> Stating that XML is a *document* standard effectively
> precludes this XML standard from a very useful
> application as stream markup.  This is a very subtle
> bias which, in my opinion, will severly damage the XML
> standard if it continues.

I think you might be applying a meaning to that phrase that it doesn't deserve - it doesn't
call XML a document standard, it uses the term "XML document", with document defined in the
XML recommendation as:

"A data object is an XML document if it is well-formed, as defined in this specification. A
well-formed XML document may in addition be valid if it meets certain further constraints."

This allows you to use the phrases "XML data object" and an "XML document" interchangeably.
This isn't incongruous with stream markup - you just need to consider the stream as an XML
document. :-) Seriously though, you probably wouldn't have the same concerns about "XML data
object" - if you prefer that term, you should use it. Really, this is more a case of becoming
comfortable with the evolving notion (and convenient terminology) of what a document is.


--
Regards,

Marcus Carr                      email:  mrc at allette.com.au
___________________________________________________________________
Allette Systems (Australia)      www:    http://www.allette.com.au
___________________________________________________________________
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
       - Einstein



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