Re: [xml-dev] Pragmatic namespaces

["Pete Cordell" <petexmldev@codalogic.com>]

Original Message From: "Michael Kay"

>
>>
>> Non-reversed still works better for me, i.e.:
>>
>> <father.donkeys.tbray.org>
>> <birth-date.donkeys.tbray.org>
>> <feed.atom.ietf.org>
>> <entry.atom.ietf.org>
>>
>> It's easier to read, code completion tools will work better
>> and non-programmers will understand it more readily.
>>
>
> Reversed works better for me.
>
> Indeed reversed would work better in DNS: the old UK Janet email addresses
> used major-to-minor ordering, which is far more logical and is far more
> common in "designed" hierarchic naming schemes (phone numbers, Dewey 
> decimal
> codes, IP addresses): postal addresses, Western personal names, and UK 
> date
> formats are exceptions to the rule.

I disagree that they are exceptions.  They have equal merit.

E-mail addresses are minor to major.  I can just look at the start, e.g. 
john.smith, and I know who an e-mail is from, as opposed to having to scan 
all of com.gmail@smith.john.  Not a big issue with an e-mail address, but 
with hundreds of tags it makes a difference.

Also, in my e-mail client, if I typed jo, it would probably suggest 
john.smith@gmail.com.  One more tab and I'm done.  With the other scheme I 
would have to type com.gmail@sm or similar before it became unambiguous. 
Again, not a problem with an e-mail address, but it makes a difference with 
hundreds of tags.

> I don't think phone users have ever had trouble understanding that you add 
> a
> prefix to the number if you're calling from outside the local area.

Doesn't seem a compelling argument for reversed names to me.  I'm sure if 
the phone system could cope with suffixed area codes, the users could cope 
with it too.

Pete Cordell
Codalogic Ltd
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