[Fwd: Just require URLs]

Paul Prescod paul at prescod.net
Wed Jun 16 12:44:04 BST 1999


Andrew Layman wrote:
> 
> Two distiinct URIs might in fact identify the same namespace,

Tim Bray has been quite clear that it is his opinion that namespace URIs
*do not identify namespaces* in the sense of "identify" used in the URI
specification. According to him they are just strings that happen
conveniently to be unique and globally managed. This difference between
you on this issue is alarming.

> but within the facilities of the namespaces specification they would not be
> known to do so.

The namespaces specification defines the *concept* of XML namespaces.
Therefore if it does not have a provision for two URIs pointing to the
same "namespace" then there can be no such provision without an amendment
or superceding specification -- unless we accept that general Web concepts
of "equality" and "URI" apply -- In which case "http://" URIs are
self-evidently bogus AND illegal because the namespace that they point to
is "missing."

-- 
 Paul Prescod  - ISOGEN Consulting Engineer speaking for only himself
 http://itrc.uwaterloo.ca/~papresco

[Woody Allen on Hollywood in "Annie Hall"]
Annie: "It's so clean down here."
Woody: "That's because they don't throw their garbage away. They make 
        it into television shows."



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