Re: [xml-dev] Lessons learned from the XML experiment

[Michael Kay <mike@saxonica.com>]

> Okay, I see a lot of 'complaining' about namespaces, even from people
> that apparently do not use them. I have yet to see any actually
> problem that the current implementation can cause.
> 

The primary problem is complexity. They add complexity to all the specifications in the XML family, they add to the cost of producing implementations, they add to the cost of learning the technologies, and they add myriad opportunities for doing things wrong.

Do you follow StackOverflow? If you do, you will know how bewildered most newcomers to XML are by the complexities of namespaces. And it's not just newcomers; the amount of time W3C working groups spend on esoteric namespace-related corner cases is completely disproportionate.

Michael Kay
Saxonica