RE: [regrep] Re: [xml-dev] Registered namespace prefixes

[David RR Webber - XML ebusiness <Gnosis_@compuserve.com>]

Joe,

I hate to say it but this is a modern myth.

Lesson learned from the CALS and other work is that 
standardized names does not increase interoperability
at all.

The ebXML approach is centered around UIDs that provide
neutral equivalent (or similar) correspondence, and then
the core component approach with context.

Add to this the CAM ability to capture the business
semantics associated with the business process and
transaction interchanges - then you have the ability to
understand the information that you are receiving.

Just knowing what the name of a field is does not cut it,
nor does just assuming because its the same name,
that the information is the same.  The means behind
how the data got into that field is critical information.

Having standard names for things is more of a 
feel-good factor than anything - that shows that 
due diligence has gone into information collection
and planning.  And in any case - the vaguaries of
language - soon catch up with you.  In a big dictionary
you find things like:

 Invoice.payment.date.deferred

and 

 Payment.date.settlement.delayed

When do you use one and not the other, and are they
just the same thing anyway?

Then in payroll systems things like:

Accumulated.YearToDate.Assessed.Tax

If you think two different payroll software systems
have the same # in it for the identical employee
grade, level, pay and hours - then you are 
sadly mistaken!  If its different by just a few dollars
I'd say you were doing good.  Usually it will be
different by a significant amount, depending on the
accounting procedures and reckoning methods
being used, and especially what accounting
period determines YearToDate to be.

Good luck ; -)

Details of the CAM work can be found at:

 http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/cam

Cheers, DW.
==================================================
Message text written by Chiusano Joseph
>Bottom line: This will enable distributed authorities (through the
distributed registries capability of ebXML Registry) to create and
maintain data element names (through Core Components, and the ISO/IEC
11179 standard Part 5) - thus enhancing interoperability.
<


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