Seeking a Dao of Groves

[THOMAS PASSIN]

Gavin Thomas Nicol wrote:
<snip/>
> 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.
>
>
Where many have come to grief is that without a good coherent data model to
work from, you are likely to arrive at a syntax that makes it hard to
express things you end up finding that you want to express.  Everyone has
one or more implicit data models in their head all the time anyway.  When
you develop without making one explicit, you are simply developing to an
implicit and probably incomplete model, one that the others working with you
may not fully agree with.

This may work fine for some projects, but it's a weak base for standards
development.

Tom Passin


xml-dev: A list for W3C XML Developers. To post, mailto:xml-dev at ic.ac.uk
Archived as: http://www.lists.ic.ac.uk/hypermail/xml-dev/ or CD-ROM/ISBN 981-02-3594-1
Please note: New list subscriptions and unsubscriptions
are  now ***CLOSED*** in preparation for list transfer to OASIS.