xml-dev - RE: Default Namespaces - why don't they apply to attributes?

[Jonathan Borden <jborden@mediaone.net>]

Ronald Bourret wrote:
>
> While I see your point, I disagree both with your last sentence and that
> this is an adequate counter-example. The question here is not about
> "membership" in a namespace, but whether RDF can find the semantics for a
> given attribute. To find the semantics for a given attribute, it must
> uniquely identify that attribute. It does this with the following simple
> algorithm -- note that namespace "membership" never comes into play.
>
> 1) Does the attribute have a prefix?
>
> 2a) Yes. Get the semantics from the schema identified by the URL
> associated
> with the prefix.
>
> 2b) No. Get the semantics from the schema identified by the URL
> associated
> with the prefix of the attribute's element.
>
 I don't understand the distinction you are making: a node having a
namespace vs. being a member of a namespace. To me a node *has* a name, and
*belongs* in a namespace, otherwise why use the term *namespace* where
*name* is perfectly sufficient? I sumbit that having a namespace/prefix and
being a member of a namespace define identical behavior.

 You have defined an algorithm which has the effect of associating an
attribute namespace with the enclosing element namespace. This is fine, yet
what specification is directing me to use this algorithm? An application
which defines behavior(node) based upon namespaceURI(node) would not be
using your algorithm. Are you implying that this is wrong?

 The existence of such an application is the counter example to your
argument. We never argeed that you could rewrite the application :-)

Jonathan Borden
http://www.openhealth.org