Re: Re: XML Namespaces

> My motives are not unique nor is there any reason to view
> them as suspicious. As of late I have simply wanted to
> determine two criteria:
>
> 1.) How exactly XML Namespaces actually function, e.g.
>     strict or loosely coupled so to speak.

I'm not sure what you're asking.  They're nothing more than pointers that
help a consuming tool to make sense of the data being delimited.  If the
tool is using plain text processing then it's certainly a pretty 'loose'
coupling.  If the tool attempts to go the full distance and validate the
beejeesus out of it then it could be considered 'strict'.  Few tools attempt
the latter.  Most of the time it's a compromise between speed and validity.

> 2.) Determine if XML Namespaces may be copyrighted and
>     registered as such.

To what end?  As Ian points out the document describing something can
certainly be copyrighted, as any written document can.  The real question is
what goal are you trying to achieve?  And in the process of attaining it
what are you expecting others to do?  If you're expecting to copyright a
module, namespace and/or prefix and demand strict control and/or licensing
fees surrounding it's use you're more than welcome to try.  I'm not a
betting man but longshots do sometimes pay off.  I wouldn't invest my
dollars/efforts on the attempt but, hey, you go for it.

As for being 'registered' there is no registry.  It's largely just ad-hoc
usage.  Well, I suppose there are some recognized committees for such things
but there's nothing 'requiring' anyone making use of XML, namespaces,
modules or prefixes to play along with them.  If the idea is good, the
schema workable and efforts are taken to promote it's use, then it thrives.
Otherwise it's little more than yet another set of bleached bones dead on
the wayside.  Who 'owned' it doesn't matter much then.

So are you asking "can I write a document that defines the use of an XML
schema and copyright it" then the answer is yes.  If only because it's a
document and like ANY other can be copyrighted.  This undoubtedly leads to
the question of can you copyright the URI and/or the prefix.  Well, you'd
probably have better hope using a trademark not a copyright.  Regardless of
which you could certainly try.  That leads to questions about enforceability
of whatever you've obtained for it.  If you've got the budget for it then by
all means make the attempt.  It's an extremely unlikely scenario to think
one could wrest any sort of significant control over the use of such things
while also promoting their use.

This is sort of like an analogy I've made before regarding language.  Let's
say someone's got a story so compelling that the only way it can be told is
to teach the public a new language.  This begs the question of whether or
not the author of the language can be think that the public, once having
learned that new language, is going to be willing to refrain from making use
of it for anything other than reading the author's stories.

What's 'more important' in that situation and to whom?  The story gets told
and perhaps a new door is opened for opportunities to write others.  The
value proposition to the author versus that of the reader are likely to be
VERY different.  The public does not generally pick up on the idea of
learning something profoundly new only to find themselves in revolving door
of fees leading to nothing more than severly limited choices.  Thus in my
example I'm given to think that the expense of teaching that language "for
free" is the cost of opening a new market for publishing more stories to
that audience.  If the side effect is other authors can participate, well,
that's what competition is all about.

I'm likewise given to extend this thinking to an XML namespace.  What's the
goal?  To be able to publish data in a form the public can consume?  And to
enjoin others against doing so?

-Bill Kearney



 
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