Re: [entity-resolution] Re: uri vs. system confusion

[Norman Walsh <ndw@nwalsh.com>]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

/ Mark Johnson <mrj@debian.org> was heard to say:
| A few minutes ago I took it upon myself to re-read the XML Catalog spec, and
| now realize that everything Paul & John have said regarding system vs. uri
| usage is already spelled out quite clearly in the document. 

Good.

| However, I don't believe I would've fully understood the distinction between
| uri-based elements and system-based elements if I hadn't initiated this
| discussion.

Do you have specific suggestions for how the spec could be improved?

| The first two sentences in section 4.1 and in 4.2 are quite clear -- once
| one understands the details, e.g. the distinction between 'external
| identifiers' (in the technical sense) and 'other URI references'.
|
| Sure enough, it's all in there.

Right. I've just looked at those sections again and I can't think of
any way to make them clearer. At the end of the day, I think this
needs to be a specification, not a tutorial.

| Regarding the ongoing argument concerning the addition of system-based
| elements, perhaps all that's needed is the addition of some explanatory text
| that makes clear the distinction between external identifiers and 'other URI
| references'. (Along with some clarifying examples, of course.)

I don't know how to make it clearer.

| Keep in mind that the lead-in sentences to section 4.1 may not be effective
| at conveying this distinction to the average reader...

What's the "average" reader of the spec, I wonder? Perhaps we need a
"catalog tutorial"?

                                        Be seeing you,
                                          norm

- -- 
Norman.Walsh@Sun.COM    | Talk as if you were making your will: the
XML Standards Architect | fewer the words the less the
Web Tech. and Standards | litigation.--Gracián
Sun Microsystems, Inc.  | 
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.0.6 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Processed by Mailcrypt 3.5.7 <http://mailcrypt.sourceforge.net/>

iD8DBQE+UTYWOyltUcwYWjsRAiWMAKCFviysrIeQBI/rZ5K3G8kAk9T9AQCfcMT9
T7E7yAMjAIL4ZK7HDgD9ZYQ=
=4TTh
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----