Re: [xml-dev] To namespace or not to Namespace ....

[Andrew Welch <andrew.j.welch@gmail.com>]

>> >> You can't go far wrong if:
>> >>
>> >> - You pick a namespace that will never change: don't use dates, or
>> >> words like 'proposed' or 'beta', or embed version information
>> >> - You always use a prefix
>> >> - You tell the team to always use an XML parser to read the XML, and
>> >> an XML writer to serialise the XML, and never ever process XML as a
>> >> string
>> >
>> >
>> > Ha!  Just Ha!
>> >
>> > You probably need to add about 100 items to your list.
>>
>> Come on then, list them, it all helps.
>
> I don't have the time to re-hash the thousands of messages on this list,
> which would easily yield you your list of 100, nor the thousands of messages
> on the W3C list that was set up to address the issues of syntax/semantic for
> namespace URLs, which would easily give you another 100.  I regret that I
> have an full work day.  You have the list archives.


I'm talking about some simple advice for a relatively pain free
introduction of namespaces that covers 99% of cases.

You are talking about an expert guide - 2 prefixes for the same
namespace, 2 namespaces with the same prefix... they are edge cases
(where edge == don't exist in the real world)

After having exactly this problem at the last few contracts (getting a
team of non-xml developers to process namespaced xml) the same issues
arise each time, which can be avoided if you do the things I've
mentioned.  More things can be added, such as explaining that the
namespace url doesn't have to point to anything, but the aim is to
keep it simple.

I don't have a problem with namespaces, neither do most people after
some exposure to them and some simple tips.


-- 
Andrew Welch
http://andrewjwelch.com
Kernow: http://kernowforsaxon.sf.net/