Use of XML or XFML to put data in "shape" for sharing and website?

This started as a few messages passed between Peter and I, but he has 
encouraged me to make this public, so I will.

I'm working with the PLUS coalition, (http://www.usePLUS.org/) and trying 
to come up with a solution for sharing and presenting the data that they 
come up with for developing a standardized set of terms for dealing with 
the licensing of images.

It needs to be a form that could be used in a form on a website (perhaps 
using something like Facetmaps) and also be in a form that could be made 
available to other developers.

I've seen Peters work with XFML, and think it might be an excellent means 
of handling both, but I'll be the first to admit that I don't have lots of 
experience with XML or variants of XML.

Here's where our exchange picked up last night....

David

==
Last night PeterV <[email protected]> wrote:

 >Yes, XFML is good for sharing.

That was my understanding, and exactly what a good portion of the use for this
data will be.

 >Nothing needs to be done through facetmap :) Facetmap can import XFML.
 >Other tools usually can't import straight XFML. If by "browser", you
 >mean Internet Explorer and such, then no. You can not use XFML directly
 >with a browser.

I didn't think the browsers were "up" on this yet, but if Facetmap can import,
then one option is putting Facetmap on the server and letting it handle the
"backend."

 >I would need to understand a bit more what you want to do, exactly... DO
 >you want to build a website? Or just build an XFML file that is
 >exchangable?

As usual, we want to do "both" ;-)

The website would contain the latest version, and provide those only wishing to
check a definition, etc to be able to get that info. Potentially it could also
be configured to have visitors choose various "facets" from a pull down menu
and have this generate the specific UID and code that could be cut and pasted
into an container field that is stored with the electronic version of the
intellectual property in question. For example, it could be put in the "special
instructions" field of the FILE info within Photoshop or the IPTC data. It
could go in the "comments" field of a PDF file's properties, etc.

The other use for the data would be for other developers to "extract" the data
and make this library available within specialized tools. These tools would be
used by photographers, illustrators, as a means of developing specific license
language, and to calculate a price for the license.... and for licensors of
photographs and illustrations, so that they can determined which rights they
might need for a given project and be able to communicate that succinctly to a
vendor.

As for "facets" here's what I've envisioned, let me know if you think this is
possible/feasible.

Lets use as an example:

Use1
         Use2
                 Audience
                         Size
                                 Frequency/distribution
Advertising
         Magazine
                 Consumer
                         full page
                                 Press Run 100,000

And contrast with:

Editorial use
         Magazine
                 Consumer
                         full page
                                 Press Run 100,000

These two illustrated uses are very similar except one is an "advertising use,
and the other is appearing within the content of the magazine. These two uses
would be priced quite differently. But there could also be difference like the
magazine might be for a regional market, or for a trade organization rather
than a consumer audience. In my mind each of these are "facets" and there 
would be numerous variations on each. Thus some form of XML or XFML would 
be better at storing and transferring this kind of highly structured data 
than other
forms of presentation (would you agree?).

 >There aren't many tools out there anyway, so you'll probably use an XML
 >editor or a text editor.

I use "notetab" (http://www.notetab.com/) for most of my manual coding. I just
checked and it has two options for XML libraries:

xml.zip; 17 Apr 2000; Jelks Cabaniss
Supports the new XHTML 1.0, DTD authoring, and "Tidy". Transform text to and
from XHTML, HTML, or generic XML

xslt.zip; 17 Apr 2000; Jelks Cabaniss
XSLT and XPath: write stylesheets to transform XML documents to others or to
[x]HTML

These don't sound terribly new, but I'll check to see if newer versions are
available. Maybe I can even write one up for XFML if I move forward using that
specification.

Are there other XML editors that you might recommend?

David


----
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--
David Riecks  (that's "i" before "e", but the "e" is silent)
http://www.riecks.com , Chicago Midwest ASMP member
http://zillionbucks.com  "The Webhost for your Creative Business"



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