xml-dev - Re: XML Schemas: Best Practices

["Thomas B. Passin" <tpassin@home.com>]

Len Bullard said -

> Chase that thought you are
> having a bit further in light of namespaces being
> a signature for an interface.  Then ask yourself if
> you need or want that given that regardless of the
> spec, the use of the URN/URL means to too many, a
> location, not an authoritative owner of a domain.
>
That's why I advocate that actual namespaces ought to be URIs that are
clearly not URLs.  That would discourage people from trying to treat
them as if they were.  Especially in examples.   So what if there's no
registry guaranteeing uniqueness and permanence?  There isn't for urls
either, but that's not stopping anyone.

To me, namespaces are something like US Social Security numbers.  If I
say that John Smith owns such-and-such a house, well, there are many
John Smiths.  If I say that when I say "John Smith", I mean the person
with a ss number of 123-45-6789, that makes it unique.  I don't expect
or need other information to be coded into the ss number.

Cheers,

Tom P