Re: [xtm-wg] Version number in URI.

[Murray Altheim <altheim@eng.sun.com>]

Steve Pepper wrote:
> 
> At 21:47 10/02/01 -0800, Jason Diamond wrote:
> >Is it wise to include the string "1.0" in the namespace URI? If new elements
> >are added in version 1.1 or 2.0 will they be placed in corresponding
> >namespaces or snuck into the 1.0 namespace? Personally, I think that the XTM
> >design is rather clean and wouldn't want to see it cluttered with multiple
> >namespaces (other than the two it already contains). Would a version-less
> >namespace URI in conjunction with a version attribute on the <topicMap>
> >element be more appropriate?

No.

The idea that XTM would be "cluttered" by having multiple namespaces 
misunderstands the concept of namespaces (which seems to be fairly
common). 

If we add <associationTemplate> or some other new element type to a 
post-1.0 XTM, it shouldn't occur within the same namespace as 1.0, as
it simply *wasn't* in that namespace. A namespace is *not* an open-ended
gamut of possible names, it is the closed set of names within a space. 
That some people within the W3C seem to get this confused doesn't help 
matters.

> >The same can be said for PSIs. Do we really want to have to remember in what
> >version of XTM a PSI was introduced?
> 
> What Jason says makes a lot of sense. I would like the AG to
> consider this issue and take a decision in Austin.

The version number is essential if we expect there to be future alterations
to XTM that include new features. This will allow processors to know that 
"xtm/1.0" namespace-compatible processors and topic maps are *different*
from newer versions, e.g., they include templates or other new syntax.
Absent versioning we mix all of the version's namespaces and are unable
to differentiate, which I believe would be a serious interoperability
mistake.

Murray

...........................................................................
Murray Altheim, SGML/XML Grease Monkey     <mailto:altheim&#64;eng.sun.com>
XML Technology Center
Sun Microsystems, 1601 Willow Rd., MS UMPK17-102, Menlo Park, CA 94025

      In the evening
      The rice leaves in the garden
      Rustle in the autumn wind
      That blows through my reed hut.  -- Minamoto no Tsunenobu

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