Propsal regarding the use of the SVG namespace in OpenDocument

[Michael Brauer <Michael.Brauer@Sun.COM>]

Hi Vincent,

below is a proposal how the SVG WG and the OpenDocument TC could resolve
the issue regarding the SVG namespace in the case that the SVG WG comes
to the conclusion that they consider the way we are using the SVG
namespace to be invalid. Please note that this proposal is my personal
proposal and has neither been discussed nor agreed by the OpenDocument
TC so far. Can you please forward this proposal to the SVG WG. Thanks.

The proposal consist of the following items:


1. The OpenDocument TC move the SVG attributes into a namespace of its
own, for instance "urn:oasis:names:tc:opendocument:xmlns:
svg-compatible:1.0"

2. The SVG WG specifies a namespace that is reserved for elements and
attributes in a global scope, i.e. namespaced elements and attributes
that are used in the way the OpenDocument specification uses them. I
here assume that this namespace is called
"http://www.w3.org/2005/svg-vocabulary";, but of course it is up to the
SVG WG to define a proper name. An option would be decide that global
element and attribute definition would be contained in the already
existing "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"; namespace, but again, this is
something that the SVG WG has to decide based on their requirements. To
avoid delays in OpenDocument schedule, the decision about this namepace
is required within the next few days.

3. The SVG WG defines the elements and attributes of the
"http://www.w3.org/2005/svg-vocabulary"; namespace not immediately, but
in a timeframe that is considered to be appropriate by the working
group. This full step is optional.

4. The OpenDocument TC adds to its specification, that implementations
that support the "urn:oasis:names:tc:opendocument:xmlns:
svg-compatible:1.0" namespace also may/should/must support the
"http://www.w3.org/2005/svg-vocabulary"; namespace, and further
may/should/must process elements and attributes from the
"http://www.w3.org/2005/svg-vocabulary"; namespace in the same way as
elements and attribues from the "urn:oasis:names:tc:opendocument:xmlns:
svg-compatible:1.0" namespace that have the same local name.

5. The OpenDocument TC in future specification moves elements and
attributes from the "urn:oasis:names:tc:opendocument:xmlns:
svg-compatible:1.0" to the "http://www.w3.org/2005/svg-vocabulary";
namespace, if, and only if, definitions in the
"http://www.w3.org/2005/svg-vocabulary"; exist and are the same as in the
OpenDocument specification.

By using this process, the SVG WG can extend its specification without
having to care about OpenDocument in any way, and the OpenDocument
specification can take over the definitions from SVG without getting
incompatible. Of course, the fact that our two groups can work
independent of each other, does not mean that a collaboration between
our two working groups isn't reasonable.


Best regards

Michael