Re: Proposal for generic MTOM format

Anish Karamarkar writes:

>> If we separate out section 3.2 as a part of 
>> the separate document which is not SOAP 
>> specific, isn't that the same as XInclude 
>> with parse="binary"?

I don't think so.  My impression is that an XInclude can reference any web 
resource, which is a quite weak contract packaging wise.  MTOM, as I 
understand it, says:  xbinc:Include must be replaced with the resource 
representation >>in the multipart MIME  stream in which the reference 
occurs<<.   In other words, I see the MTOM serialization (though not 
necessarily all embodiments of the abstract MTOM feature) as specifically 
providing for data packaged together in a single stream.  Indeed, I would 
argue that if we used generalized include in the MTOM serialization, it 
should be limited to representations carried in that serialization.  It is 
completely unacceptable to have to open a web connection to get these 
message parts. 

Perhaps this is a reason not to use generalized XInclude in MTOM?  In 
other words, if you really mean Web-scale XInclude, with the possible need 
to open external connections, use generalized XInclude (if it gets to 
Rec.)  For local-only include use xbinc:Include?  I can see this either 
way, but I think its essential that we call out separately the case where 
messages are self-contained.  Thanks!

Noah

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Noah Mendelsohn                              Voice: 1-617-693-4036
IBM Corporation                                Fax: 1-617-693-8676
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