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Title: RE: [xml-dev] loosely and tightly coupled systems and type annotation
[At Fri 7/12/2002 6:54 AM EDT Eric van der Vlist Wrote:]
> In real life there is a clear distinction between loosely and tightly
> coupled systems: when I press on a power switch to put the light on it's
> a tightly coupled system but when I do a phone call to order a book it's
> a loosely coupled system.
Speaking of light switches, one of my favorite loosely bound applications are electrical circuits using copper wires. These fascinating devices function by electrons being pushed in one end, forcing electrons out the other. There is one group of users that like their electrical circuits to move vast quantities of electrons. These power users actually convert the electrical flow into mechanical actions or large photon discharges. These applications have been regulated through various standards enforced by governmental bodies, in order to insure public safety. Through this regulation, the number of ways to deploy power copper wire circuits is limited.
Then there are the precision users, who rely upon small, even minute, electron flows through the copper wires to meet their application needs. These electronic users are looking for the electrons to act as logical surrogates, to assist in calculations, or perhaps offer guidance to control other devices. These electronic applications have far fewer standards to abide by, which may be a reflection of the infinite permutations that they can take. The ones that exist are oriented towards niche markets to assist in interoperability.
For both of the power uses and electronic users there are testing vendors that insure the applications are safe, and perhaps meet certain functional requirements.
So here we have a technology that can be readily applied for many uses. For purposes of this discussion, they can be categorized into two broad functional groups. AFAIK, neither of these user groups seem to impose their way of working on each other. I think they realize that the other has incompatible needs, so there is no need to have one set of standards to fit all copper wire purposes.
Perhaps we just need to appreciate the same for XML?
Regards,
Ralph
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