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namespaces in XML 1.1 - namespace names become *IRI* references

• To: <xml-dev@l...>
• Subject: namespaces in XML 1.1 - namespace names become *IRI* references
• From: "Julian Reschke" <julian.reschke@g...>
• Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 14:13:53 +0200
• Importance: Normal
• In-reply-to: <5.1.0.14.0.20020928072413.05180ec8@n...>

Hi,

the TAG announcements about namespace documents and the XLink/HLink issue
have created a lot of traffic and discussion. However, this seems to have
caused that *another* important announcement -- Namespaces in XML 1.1 being
in last call -- has gone nearly unnoticed.

I am *very* uncomfortable with the IMHO sudden change to allow *IRI*
references as namespace names. As far as I understand, this was not covered
in the requirements [2].

Namespace names allowing characters outside the ASCII character set means
that this change will break any code that currently relies on the fact that
namespace names must be valid URI references according to RFC2396. Of course
code can be changed, but I doubt that the cost of this has been considered
properly.

I'm also unsure about what problem is supposed to be fixed by this change
(requirement: "The changes required for Namespaces in XML 1.0 processors to
also process Namespaces in XML 1.1 must be as few and as small as
possible."). I haven't seen any requirement yet to actually use non-ASCII
characters in namespace names. IMHO, it would make *much* more sense to stay
with URI references, and then to advise people who *do* want to use IRI
references about the preferred mapping algorithm.

Julian

[1]
<http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/WD-xml-names11-20020905/WD-xml-names11-20020905-d
iff.html>
[2] <http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/WD-xml-names11-req-20020403/>
--
<green/>bytes GmbH -- http://www.greenbytes.de -- tel:+492512807760

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: namespaces in XML 1.1 - namespace names become *IRI*references
    • From: "Thomas B. Passin" <tpassin@c...>
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    • From: Elliotte Rusty Harold <elharo@m...>
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    • From: Elliotte Rusty Harold <elharo@m...>

• References:
  • Re: limits of the generic
    • From: Jonathan Robie <jonathan.robie@d...>

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