[oslc-core] Need for an XML literal value type

[Arthur Ryman]

Dave,

Please explain why you are concerned. Literal XML is a standard feature of 
RDF.

The pro for XML literal values is that we are using RDF in the way it was 
designed. OSLC data may be combined with RDF data from other sources so we 
should adhere to the standard. We do not want to create an OSLC dialect of 
RDF.

For rich text, we should adopt XHTML as the standard interchange format, 
and we should transfer it in RDF/XML as literal XML, not obfuscate it by 
turning it into a string.

Many development tools capture rich text. Adopting a standard rich text 
format for OSLC, i.e. XHTML, simplifies processing (e.g. inclusion of rich 
text in UIs, documents and reports) and interchange (so tools only have to 
understand one format as opposed to understand RTF, HTML, etc.). XHTML has 
a simpler syntax than HTML and is XML compliant so it can be readily 
processed by many XML technologies.

In addition, there are other good reasons for using XML in general as the 
value of a property, e.g. when there is an existing XML format, or when 
plain old XML is a more natural way to represent a literal value 
(otherwise you get an explosion of blank nodes).

Regards, 
___________________________________________________________________________ 

Arthur Ryman, PhD, DE


Chief Architect, Project and Portfolio Management

IBM Software, Rational

Markham, ON, Canada | Office: 905-413-3077, Cell: 416-939-5063
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From:
Dave <snoopdave at gmail.com>
To:
oslc-core at open-services.net
Date:
03/18/2010 09:26 AM
Subject:
[oslc-core] Need for an XML literal value type
Sent by:
oslc-core-bounces at open-services.net



I'm still a little concerned about adding XML literal as a value type
and I'm trying to understand the pros and cons. The only justification
that we have so far for adding an XML literal value is for storing
XHTML data, which we need for rich text, but we can easily store XHTML
data as a string.

What specifically do we gain by putting XHTML content in-line in our
RDF/XML and Atom XML representations?

And conversely, what do we lose by not doing so?

Also, does putting XHTML content in-line in RDF/XML result in valid 
RDF/XML?

Thanks,
- Dave

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