Re: [xml-dev] RDF for unstructured databases, RDF for axiomatic

Shelley Powers scripsit:

> Personally, I believe elegance belongs on the dance floor, and I want
> effective, clean, consistent, and reliable constructs in my specs.

What's the difference in your usage between "elegant" and "clean"?

> But Pat, there is a processing semantic attached to containers. That aspect
> of containers that represents a data structure -- a descriptive structure if
> you will -- a grouping of related items has no implied processing other than
> the relationship. However, when you give a Bag, Seq, and Alt type, you're
> attaching processing semantics to the construct. This is no different then
> attaching conditional processing semantics to 'if' in most programming
> language.

I'm sorry, I can't follow you here.  Programming languages actually act;
they do something.  RDF data, like XML data or any other kind, just sits
there.  Containers don't do any more than provide for certain relations between
the container and the contained.

-- 
John Cowan    http://www.ccil.org/~cowan   <>
    "Any legal document draws most of its meaning from context.  A telegram
    that says 'SELL HUNDRED THOUSAND SHARES IBM SHORT' (only 190 bits in
    5-bit Baudot code plus appropriate headers) is as good a legal document
    as any, even sans digital signature." --me