W3C's 'Moral Majesty'

[Len Bullard]

David Megginson wrote:
> 
> Rather, Steve is arguing that universal names should not be an end in
> themselves -- and that's a very reasonable argument -- but that hardly
> disproves the claim that Namespace-qualified names are
> universally-distinguishable.

Umm.. they are universally distinguishable strings as far as I can tell
in 
any system that uses and ensures the uniqueness of URIs.  

A name names something.

Maybe I am just confused.  I don't see what "the big deal is" 
as my son says.   The namespace spec is clear that it is only 
a record of authority for the role of the namespace identifier 
as a means to make a particular string unique.  It clearly  
says the members of a set of strings which can have a 
namespace identifier, and it enables scope for members 
of that set.  

Beyond that, it's use as a URI would *appear* to indicate 
to any average web user (the folks who see and http: on 
any string and click on it), this is a pointer. So regardless 
of linguistics or the record of authority, that is the expectation.

(AncientSGMLLore:  Don't shock the Monkey.  Looks like URI, 
is a URI, Click.  Monkey See Monkey Do.)

A name names something.  What?????  If we can't get that information, 
or we have to code something that represents our vote on the matter, 
or even just asserts our opinion because we get no vote, then 
the situation is as Steve describes it.  Even if there is no 
vendor domination, it works precisely as if there were.  Until 
someone big enough with enough distribution votes or asserts 
their opinion, there is no decision.

I say it points to the resource that is what the name names.

len


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