RFC: Attributes and XML-RPC

[Marcus Carr]

Dave Winer wrote:

> Attributes are for wispy little very optional things, if they are for
> anything at all.

Wispy little things like security levels? How would you represent the following pseudo-defence
data:

<chapter security="u">
   <title>Wheeled Armoured Toys</title>
   <para0 security="u">
      <para security="u">WATs are your friend...</para>
   </para0>
</chapter>

The two options that come to mind are either:

<chapter>
   <security>u</security>
   <title>Wheeled Armoured Toys</title>
   <para0>
      <security>u</security>
      <para>WATs are your friend...</para>
         <security>u</security>
   </para0>
</chapter>

... which requires the evaluation of a child element before the application is able to
understand how to deal with an elements such as para0 or para, (presumably the values are
inherited) or something like:

<u>
   <chapter>
      <title>Wheeled Armoured Toys</title>
      <u>
         <para0>
            <u>
               <para>WATs are your friend...</para>
            </u>
         </para0>
      </u>
   </chapter>
</u>

... which obviously requires a ridiculously loose content model for element u and any other
value that may have been assigned to the security level.

I find attributes to be cleaner to look at and more logical to apply than elements, though I
admit that the nature of the data may blur this distinction. Perhaps consideration of the
diverse nature of data might have lead you to word your (copied) opening statement less
emphatically?


--
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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