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Re: xml taxonomy

• To: rjm@z...
• Subject: Re: xml taxonomy
• From: "Chiusano Joseph" <chiusano_joseph@b...>
• Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 09:37:07 -0400
• Cc: xml-dev@l...
• Organization: Booz Allen Hamilton
• References: <1061990478.4043.30.camel@z...>

<Quote1>
by focusing on well defined sets of xml structures and their
properties 
</Quote1>

I wish you the best on this effort, but would also like to caution that
many aspects of XML are not as cut-and-dried as your numbers analogy.
Our recent discussions on "document vs. data-oriented XML" exemplified
that, where we saw that one person's document-oriented XML is another
person's data-oriented XML, and there are hybrids as well.

<Quote2>
one set might be xml with tags only - no attributes; another might be
xml that is constrained to two levels; etc
</Quote2>

What value would there be to labeling these types of XML (e.g.
"attribute-less" XML, "two-level" XML)? This seems to me to be something
that can be better covered by an XML schema design (if we are talking
about schemas here) than a broad classification. IOW, an
organization/agency may decide for whatever reason that they want to
avoid the use of attributes. It also appears to me that the
combinations/permutations of the different aspects here can become quite
extensive and perhaps unmaintainable.

<Quote3>
by understanding the properties and operators that are valid on these
sets we can then see the analogies to other technologies such as
relational models, markup, etc.
</Quote3>

Perhaps there are easier ways to reach this goal?

Kind Regards,
Joe Chiusano
Booz | Allen | Hamilton


Rick Marshall wrote:
> 
> hi all
> 
> following several discussions we've had lately, mostly on relational
> models and document management i'm going to float the idea - which may
> be covered elsewhere, please redirect me if appropriate - that having a
> taxonomy of xml may help us to understand what forms, and when are good
> for different problems.
> 
> if we take numbers as an analogy (and that's all it is, there are plenty
> of others) they can be divided into sets - integer, real, rational,
> irrational, complex, etc and we increase our understanding and use of
> numbers by developing theorems that cover the different sets.
> 
> it seems to me that xml is as diverse as numbers or any similar grouping
> and that by focusing on well defined sets of xml structures and their
> properties we can get the theorems to improve our use and understanding.
> 
> eg one set might be xml with tags only - no attributes; another might be
> xml that is constrained to two levels; etc
> 
> by understanding the properties and operators that are valid on these
> sets we can then see the analogies to other technologies such as
> relational models, markup, etc.
> 
> just a thought at the moment
> 
> cheers
> 
> rick
> 
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