My position is that XML implicitly creates a global space of
information, a space which *is* a space (= something providing for
"location" and "movement") because of XPath. I view XML and XPath - the
models of representation, of information content, of content navigation
- as a single unit, facets of which are syntax, data model, navigation
model.
Let's back off a bit. XML is a language for *creating* markup
languages. No more than that. Some of those languages may do something
of what you said. Many or most will not. XML per se has no data model
beyond e.g. elements, attributes, and the like. Adding XPATH adds no
semantics besides associating certain URIs with certain elements.
