ODF makes incorrect usage of Dublin Core properties

During my investigation of an ODF package I
noticed that the creation date of the document is persisted as 

 

<meta:creation-date>2009-06-18T20:33:49.25</meta:creation-date>

 

Where other settings make use of Dublin
Core properties, such as <dc:language> 

 

Open XML also uses Dublin Core properties.
A sample is:

 

<dcterms:created xsi:type="dcterms:W3CDTF">2009-06-14T21:20:00Z</dcterms:created>

 

The redefinition of properties to be ODF
specific hinders implementations through requiring extra code for parsing. 

 

ODF should require the usage of Dublin Core
properties and eliminate every place where they could be used, but are not at
this point in time.

 

There are further issues with ODF. The
definition of the <dc:date> element is bothersome:

 

Note: The name of this element was chosen for
compatibility with Dublin Core metadata. The dateTime type used does not
correspond to the definition of this property in Dublin Core, where only a date
(without time) is specified for the date property.

 

Does this mean that the <dc:date>
element in ODF is not actually a Dublic Core metadata property? Why then the DC
namespace prefix? When opening the referenced set of schemas you find:

Date may be used to express temporal
information at any level of granularity.

Since any level of granularity would
include time as well, there seems to be no clear reason for indicating that
something does not correspond with the definition. It is unclear what the
relations between all these elements are.

 

ODF should mandate the usage of Dublin core
properties and eliminate the vague writing that occurs. 

 

 

Best regards, 

 

Wouter van Vugt

MVP Visual Studio Tools for Office

 

  
  

  
  
  


  
 

 

  
  

  
  
  
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