Re: [xml-dev] Keeping ISO 8879 Alive (was RE: [xml-dev] Markupperspective not code)

[Mike Champion <mc@xegesis.org>]

8/2/2002 1:19:19 PM, John Cowan <jcowan@reutershealth.com> wrote:

>
>What I'd like to see for XML 2.0 is a clean separation into two layers:
>a "top layer" that understands elements, attributes, namespaces, ids, and PIs;
>and a "bottom layer" that understands character references (by name or number),
>comments, and literal sections.  Each layer would be separately processable;

I more or less agree (would toss PI's from the top layer myself, but that's another religious
war, and I think we've exceeded our quota).  What I think is most critical is
that the syntax and data model/InfoSet be designed simultaneously.  Thinking 
of the programmer's view of XML inside an application, and the parsing/serialization
rules, and the POV of the SAX or DPH programmer who is looking ONLY at the syntax,
should help prevent un-ending disputes over  whether an attribute or element
carries its namespace around with it or whether it gets its namespace from whatever
scope its in, what the namespace of an unprefixed attribute is, etc.