Resource type representation

["Loren West" <loren.west@epok.net>]

Discussion points of the use of "type" within XDI

1) A single <resource> has many types

   * Data type "what is the structure of this instance"
     (Several: XSD type, ebXML type, Liberty type, XNS type, synonyms)

   * Category "what group does this instance belong in"
     (Several: +home, +personal, +afterWork)

2) How is it represented?

   * As a URI to an XSD type?
   * As an XRI? 
   * As an XRI representing an XSD <resource>?
     (if so, could it be represented as XML <resource>)

3) Where could it go?

   * Not as an attribute <resource type=...> (can't have many)
   * As an XRI (with a "type" attribute)
     <xri type=datatype/category>
   * As a <type> element?
      * <datatype> element?
      * <category> element?

3) Examples

* As an XRI
<resource>
  <xri type=ename>=Loren/Cards/EpokCard</xri>
  <xri type=enumber>=:342.34/821.4</xri>
  <xri type=datatype>http://example.com/BusinessCard.xsd</xri>
  <xri type=datatype>@Epok/Schemas/BusinessCard</xri>
  <xri type=category>+work</xri>
  ...

* As an XML element
<resource>
  <ename>=Loren/Cards/EpokCard</ename>
  <enumber>=:342.34/821.4</enumber>
  <datatype>http://example.com/BusinessCard.xsd</datatype>
  <datatype>@Epok/Schemas/BusinessCard</datatype>
  <category>+work</category>
  ...