RE: [xml-dev] Difference between "normalize" and "canonicalize"?

["Michael Kay" <mike@saxonica.com>]

> Both "normalize" and "canonicalize" seem to mean:
> 
>    Put into a standard form.
> 
> Do they in fact mean the same thing? If so, why have two 
> terms? Why not have just one term?

A canonical term, perhaps? Or a normalized one?

Yes, they mean the same thing (when used generically). Of course, particular
kinds of normalization or canonicalization use one or the other: e.g.
Unicode normalization, XML canonicalization.

>Why not have just one term?

People like inventing new words when they think an existing word already has
overloaded meanings.

Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/