[ebxml-cppa] recent discussions of context

[Martin W Sachs <mwsachs@us.ibm.com>]

The recent discussions of context have centered around the PartyRef
document as the source of context information. I am starting to think that
PartyRef is the wrong place for context information and that context
information belongs in the CPP and CPA proper. In other words, Duane's
"typo" (PartyInfo) may be the correct answer.

The PartyRef document is intended to be nothing more than a "telephone
directory" whose contents are likely to change at any time because of
personnel changes or organizational changes. There is a specific admonition
in the CPPA Specification to dereference the pointer to PartyRef only when
the information is needed. I also note that last week, the CPPA team agreed
to add a schema location attribute to PartyRef.

I believe that context information, and especially internationalization
information, will be, or will include, deployment information, which is why
it should be in the CPP and CPA themselves.   The context information might
also have to be negotiated. I don't know enough about internationalization
to understand exactly what would be included in a CPP or CPA but I would
imagine that at a mininum it would include a code for the Party's
geographical region and perhaps internationalization policy information
which might include such things as which party is responsible for
translating between two different geographical contexts.

If someone who is watching this list is in a position to submit a proposed
definition of internationalization context, I urge the CPPA team to
consider it.

Regards,
Marty

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Martin W. Sachs
IBM T. J. Watson Research Center
P. O. B. 704
Yorktown Hts, NY 10598
914-784-7287;  IBM tie line 863-7287
Notes address:  Martin W Sachs/Watson/IBM
Internet address:  mwsachs @ us.ibm.com
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