xml-dev - Re: Real needs XML Schema must address (was re: W3C XML Schema Question

[James Robertson <jamesr@steptwo.com.au>]

At 01:32 10/07/2000, Rick JELLIFFE wrote:

>Michael Champion wrote:
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> >
> > Rick Jelliffe wrote:
> >
> > > One can evaluate XML Schemas on general terms as a universal schema
> > > language. But it is more important at this stage, IMHO, to evaluate it
> > > in terms of its sufficiency for meeting the pressing needs of the day as
> > > the bottom line.
> >
> > Absolutely.  Let's enumerate and discuss them.
> >
> > I think everyone agrees that an XML Schema spec must:
> >
> > - Allow schemas to be defined in XML syntax
> > - Support the functionality of DTDs, more or less
> > - Improve the data typing beyond what DTDs support
> > - Allow namespace-aware validation
> >
> > (dissent?)
>
>I think that is where things get into a waffly hole: defining the the
>requirements for XML Schemas in terms of technologies rather than domain
>requirements. If XML Schemas supports scientific data well but not
>ecommerce adequately, is that OK; if XML Schemas supports ecommerce well
>but not XHTML, is that OK; if XML Schemas supports XHTML well but not
>SOAP is that OK?

I'm going to go one step further: the requirements for XML
Schemas should be defined in order to meet specified use cases.
These use cases detail real-world problems that are to be
solved by the schemas.

I think that domain requirements are better than technology requirements,
but they are still far too abstract for my liking.

So why don't we start with a fully-worked-out set of concrete
examples, and work back from there?

This would help to avoid the problem we've had with a number
of the specs so far:

Build a solution, but don't define how it should be used in
reality. Everyone then goes off and does something different ...
and we're back to square one.

J


-------------------------
James Robertson
Step Two Designs Pty Ltd
SGML, XML & HTML Consultancy
Illumination: an out-of-the-box Intranet solution

http://www.steptwo.com.au/
jamesr@steptwo.com.au


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