What are the practical, negative consequences of thinking thatattributes

["Costello, Roger L." <costello@mitre.org>]

Hi Folks,

Consider this XML:

<Book binding="hardcover">
    <Title>Software Abstractions</Title>
    <Author>Daniel Jackson</Author>
</Book>

I often hear people say that attributes are metadata. For example, @binding is metadata.

David Carlisle likes to remind me that there is nothing in the XML specification which says that attributes are metadata. In fact, the XML specification does not even use the word "metadata."

So when I hear people talking about attributes being metadata, I channel David Carlisle and tell them that attributes are not metadata.

But I'm thinking this is a lost cause. The belief that attributes are metadata is too widespread.

Besides, what difference does it make if people think that attributes are metadata? Can you give me a concrete, practical example showing where bad things happen because someone thought that attributes are metadata?

/Roger