[oslc-core] Writing about forming URIs and query parameters

[Dave]

Some of the text in the query resource and oslc.properties sections of
the Core Spec DRAFT are a little confusing because I'm trying to
constrain the way I write about URIs and resources. I'm trying to
stick to the definitions in the glossary. I still have not found the
correct language and I've been waiting until we merge in the Query
Syntax stuff before fixing the prose.

One thing I want to avoid is language that says things like "a
resource supports query parameters" because that is not really
consistent with the notions of URI and resource. Every different URI
indicates a different resource and query parameters are part of the
URI. So, for example, this URI:

   a) http://example.com/issues/issue501

Points to a completely different resource than this URI:

   b) http://example.com/issues/issue501?oslc.properties=dc:title

In the example above, we have some data item "issue501" and the two
resources above are two different ways to look, or two different views
of that resource. The resource (b) is related to (a) because it is a
subset of the property values of (a).

Instead of using language like this: "resource URI supports an
oslc.properties parameter that allows a client to return a subset of
properties" I would prefer to use language more like this: "If you
have a resource URI and you would like to obtain a subset of the
property values in that resource, you can form URIs to subsets by
adding the oslc.properties query parameter."

And that is what I've been trying to do, but so far I have had limited
success. Thoughts?

Thanks,
- Dave