Namespace URI address resources

[Jonathan Borden]

Murray Maloney wrote:
>At 02:46 PM 6/16/99 +0200, Ronald Bourret wrote:
>>My apologies for the sarcasm, but although I find the use of namespace
URIs
>>to find schemas a wonderful theoretical idea, I'm having more than a
little
>>trouble seeing how it could possibly work in practice.
>>
>Come work with Commerce One and we'll show you.
>
    There is no doubt in my mind that using the namespace URI can work in
many circumstances to locate a schema. There is also no doubt in my mind
that a PI containing an href can also be used to locate a schema. The issue
ought not be what has been done in pre-spec implementations rather what is
the best way to do this for the future. The problem with using the namespace
URI is that

1) it identifies a single resource
2) the location and protocol used to access the resource is hardcoded into
the namespace and hence cannot be changed without causing fundamental
changes to the structure of the entire document.
3) mechanisms to resolve URIs which are location and protocol indenpendent
(e.g. "urn:xxx") are not widely available and hence cannot be used in
practice.

Jonathan Borden
http://jabr.ne.mediaone.net


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