CAP and I18N (Internationalization) xml:lang v language...

["Bob Wyman" <bob@wyman.us>]

Title: Message

     The CAP specification includes a <language> field which appears to be redundant since XML 1.0 (the base for CAP) already defines the special attribute "xml:lang" as a standard component of XML 1.0 and thus formats defined in terms of XML 1.0. Unless there is some distinct semantic difference between the CAP-defined <language> tag and the standard XML 1.0 defined "xml:lang" attribute, CAP should drop its non-standard tag and rely instead on the xml:lang attribute.

    An alternative to dropping <language> from the CAP specification would be to clearly define the differences in semantics between <language> and xml:lang. If support for <language> is maintained, then CAP should either explicitly prohibit use of xml:lang or define how processors should behave when processing data which contains both a CAP-defined <language> element as well as the XML 1.0 defined xml:lang attribute.

 

        bob wyman