Seeking a Dao of Groves

[Gavin Thomas Nicol]

>  * the syntax of a language, notation, convention, etc. should not be
> finalized until the data model is worked out. (we violated this rule
> when we invented XML) The syntax should reflect the data model.
> 
>  * an API for a language should not be finalized until the language's
> data model is worked out. The API should reflect the data model.
> 
>  * addressing and query languages should not be finalized until the
> language's data model is worked out. The query languages 
> should reflect
> the data model.

I actually think that syntax is independent of data model, and that
it is not necessary for the API to directly reflect the data model.

A data model is essentially a set of data structures, and an algebra
for manipulating them. How they are exposed through an API is largely
and application dependent question, as is the syntax.


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