[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message] Is a collection of independent, unrestricted element definitions a"data
Hi Folks, Suppose I create a data model (an XML Schema) that consists of a collection of independent, unrestricted definitions. The data model is to be used by communities that are quite different. Would you call the data model a "data exchange format"? Or would you call it something else? Example: I declare an <Object> element that consists of an abstract <Value> element. I then declare a wide variety of elements that may substitute for <Value>: - <House> - <Aircraft> - <Cellphone> - <Book> Notice that they are very different things. Very different XML instance documents could be created from the data model: For sending to my realtor, I could create an instance that describes a house: <Object> <House>ranch style, brick</House> </Object> For communicating with an officer at a military base I could create an instance that specifies an aircraft: <Object> <Aircraft> <Type>B-52H</Type> <MaxAirspeed>650 MPH</MaxAirspeed> </Aircraft> </Object> And so forth. Clearly the data model contains items that are very different and are intended for different audiences. The data model is too nebulous and too open-ended to be called a data exchange format (I think). For me, a data exchange format is something that specifies precisely the type of data that will be exchanged: If I am exchanging data with my realtor, a data exchange format would specify that XML instances will contain <House> data and not, say, data about an <Aircraft>. It seems to me that my unconstrained data model is not a data exchange format. But what is it? What would you call a collection of independent, unrestricted element definitions? /Roger
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