URNs v. URLs for XML namespace

[John DeCarlo <jdecarlo@mitre.org>]

Not that I am an expert on this, but I asked around at work and most 
people recommended URLs.  Here is the best write up I was pointed to:

> Here is an excerpt from the XML Registry Aerospace Operations Namespace 
 > Naming convention that discusses this.
> 
> "Whether to use a URN or URL for an XML Schema namespace name is 
 > predominantly a matter of personal preference.  However,
 > this proposal uses URL syntax for the following reasons:
> • URLs are integral to the World Wide Web (www).  With a URL, 
 >   there is potentially a resource as well.  That resource
 >   could contain documentation (a schema, pointers to
 >   other schemas, etc.).  If in the future the W3C decides
 >   to have namespace names point to resources, the appropriate
 >   syntax will already be in use and namespace names will not
 >   have to change.
> • The URL syntax is familiar and memorable to www users.
> • URL schema names are already managed [5]. Therefore, it would be 
 >   easier to ensure namespace names are unique.  In other words,
 >   with URLs it would be difficult to have two organizations
 >   with identical namespace names."



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John DeCarlo, The MITRE Corporation, My Views Are My Own
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