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Re: Symbol Grounding and Running Code: Is XML Really Extensi

• To: Jonathan Borden <jonathan@o...>
• Subject: Re: Symbol Grounding and Running Code: Is XML Really Extensible?
• From: "Chiusano Joseph" <chiusano_joseph@b...>
• Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2003 10:31:49 -0400
• Cc: xml-dev@l...
• Organization: Booz Allen Hamilton
• References: <15725CF6AFE2F34DB8A5B4770B7334EE022DC7AE@h...> <0f9e01c36120$a45d94f0$6701a8c0@snobird> <3F396AE3.D9D5A506@b...> <014301c361a5$be6712b0$b6f5d3ce@s...>

<Quote1>
XML Schema thus provides a form of semantics to the XML document, i.e.
that such element content is to be treated as a decimal number.
</Quote1>

Yes - and in your opinion would the following XML snippet:

<ApplicantEstimatedAmount>12.30</ApplicantEstimatedAmount>

provide a form of semantics to the data - i.e. that the data represents 
the estimated amount that an applicant requested, given that it occurs
in the context of - for example - a loan application? This added context
would therefore enhance the sematics provided by the
"ApplicantEstimatedAmount" tag to enable it to be interpreted as "the
amount that an applicant requested for a loan".

<Quote2>
It doesn't state what units, for example, the number is intended to
represent, e.g. 12.3 froggets, or 12.30 euros.
</Quote2>

Yes - but what if it did? For example:

<ApplicantEstimatedAmount
currencyCode="USD">12.30</ApplicantEstimatedAmount>

Kind Regards,
Joe Chiusano
Booz | Allen | Hamilton

Jonathan Borden wrote:
> 
> Chiusano Joseph wrote:
> 
> >
> > I agree that by its nature, XML does not (and was never meant to)
> > capture rich semantics and meaning. But I do not agree that XML is
> > *completely* devoid of semantics.
> >
> > Consider the following XML schema snippet:
> >
> > <xsd:element  name="ApplicantEstimatedAmount" type="xsd:decimal"/>
> >    <xsd:annotation>
> >       <xsd:documentation>This is the amount that the Applicant has
> > requested for...[etc.]</xsd:documentation>
> >    </xsd:annotation>
> >
> 
> In this case, per the XML Schema specification (i.e. not per XML 1.0
> itself), the following XML snippet:
> 
> <ApplicationEstimatedAmount>12.30</ApplicationEstimatedAmount>
> 
> is to be processed as equivalent to the following XML snippet:
> 
> <ApplicationEstimatedAmount>12.30000000000000</ApplicationEstimatedAmount>
> 
> _per the XML Schema specification_
> 
> XML Schema thus provides a form of semantics to the XML document, i.e. that
> such element content is to be treated as a decimal number. Now that isn't an
> all encompassing semantics for the document, but it is not intended to,
> rather to add basic type information to element or attribute content. This
> states that applications _which conform to this semantics_, are not licensed
> to treat the content as a number other than _12.3_. It doesn't state what
> units, for example, the number is intended to represent, e.g. 12.3 froggets,
> or 12.30 euros.
> 
> Jonathan

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n:Chiusano;Joseph
tel;work:(703) 902-6923
x-mozilla-html:FALSE
url:www.bah.com
org:Booz | Allen | Hamilton;IT Digital Strategies Team
adr:;;8283 Greensboro Drive;McLean;VA;22012;
version:2.1
email;internet:chiusano_joseph@b...
title:Senior Consultant
fn:Joseph M. Chiusano
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• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Symbol Grounding and Running Code: Is XML Really Extensible?
    • From: "Jonathan Borden" <jonathan@o...>

• References:
  • Symbol Grounding and Running Code: Is XML Really Extensible?
    • From: "Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@i...>
  • Re: Symbol Grounding and Running Code: Is XML Really Extensible?
    • From: "Bob Foster" <bob@o...>
  • Re: Symbol Grounding and Running Code: Is XML Really Extensible?
    • From: "Chiusano Joseph" <chiusano_joseph@b...>
  • Re: Symbol Grounding and Running Code: Is XML Really Extensible?
    • From: "Jonathan Borden" <jonathan@o...>

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