Re: Lesson Learned: Use namespaces for both markup and data

From: Uche Ogbuji <uche@ogbuji.net>
To: "Costello, Roger L." <costello@mitre.org>
Date: Sun, 9 Aug 2009 10:59:23 -0600

Play the video

On Sun, Aug 9, 2009 at 9:25 AM, Costello, Roger L. <costello@mitre.org> wrote:

Hi Folks,

Ouch!

I've just been bitten and I'd like
to share the lesson I learned.

Namespaces are great. I highly recommend them.

But here's the thing ...

Namespaces are not just important for markup,
they are also important for data.

...

Here is a short article I wrote describing the lesson I learned about the importance of using namespaces for both markup and data:

http://www.xfront.com/namespaces-is-for-markup-and-data/

Your comments are welcome.

Yuck! Just Yuck! You'll never catch me doing that, and moreover, I hope your idea doesn't catch on ;)

In the run-up to Balisage I've started carving out a bit of time to keep up with XML-DEV again, for the first time in years, and I've noticed all the activity looking for ways to "fix" XML namespaces (still). The past few years have reinforced for me the feeling I was starting to have that what we need is less of the ghastly mess we call namespaces, not more. Amelia ran down the problems quite well. XMLNS is a hotch-potch of crazy, inconsistent, illogical rules that even the experts can't reconcile, not to mention the poor folks to whom we recommend XML. QNames in content have compounded the problems and complicated every potential fix. Spreading that even more into the field of data and data modeling is the last thing we need.

Scope is a fundamental aspect of data modeling, and I don't think it should be handled by a syntactic device such as namespaces. It should be incorporated into the heart of data models, which would provide superior remedy to the issues you raised. In other words, you need more than XML Schema, and you should acknowledge that properly, rather than further stretching hacks that are already at the breaking point.

--
Uche Ogbuji http://uche.ogbuji.net
Founding Partner, Zepheira http://zepheira.com
Linked-in profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ucheogbuji
Articles: http://uche.ogbuji.net/tech/publications/
Friendfeed: http://friendfeed.com/uche
Twitter: http://twitter.com/uogbuji
Join me at Balisage:
* http://www.balisage.net/

Follow-Ups:
- Re: Lesson Learned: Use namespaces for both markup and data
  - From: Kurt Cagle <kurt.cagle@gmail.com>

References:
- Lesson Learned: Use namespaces for both markup and data
  - From: "Costello, Roger L." <costello@mitre.org>

[Date Prev] | [Thread Prev] | [Thread Next] | [Date Next] -- [Date Index] | [Thread Index]

PURCHASE STYLUS STUDIO ONLINE TODAY!

Purchasing Stylus Studio from our online shop is Easy, Secure and Value Priced!

Download The World's Best XML IDE!

Accelerate XML development with our award-winning XML IDE - Download a free trial today!

Subscribe in XML format

RSS 2.0
Atom 0.3

Stylus Studio has published XML-DEV in RSS and ATOM formats, enabling users to easily subcribe to the list from their preferred news reader application.

Stylus Studio Sponsored Links are added links designed to provide related and additional information to the visitors of this website. they were not included by the author in the initial post. To view the content without the Sponsor Links please click here.

XML Editor - Download a 15 Day Free Trial Now >

See What's New in Stylus Studio >

Buy Stylus Studio - XML Editor - Now >