[sc34wg3] 4. The metamodel?

[Patrick Durusau]

Greetings,

Curious about the statement in 4.1 Introduction:

***********4.1 Introduction***********

The metamodel used in this document is the same as that used by the XML 
Information Set [XML Infoset].

***********/4.1 Introduction**********

Checked on the XML Information Set language and found:

*******XML Infoset, 1 Introduction****

This specification defines an abstract data set called the XML 
Information Set (Infoset). Its purpose is to provide a consistent set of 
definitions for use in other specifications that need to refer to the 
information in a well-formed XML document [XML].

******/XML Infoset, 1 Introduction****

Doesn't appear to me to have any metamodel at all in the XML Information 
Set. Defines an abstract data set for use in other specifications.

What worries me is the reference to the XML Information Set could be 
seen as somehow tying ISO/IEC 13250-2 to the XML Information Set.

If the real claim is that we are following that document as a form of 
practice, that is, 13250-2 is defining an abstract data set called the 
Topic Maps Data Model, without reference to the content of the XML 
Information Set, I suppose one could acknowledge that in a footnote but 
I suspect defining abstract data sets did not originate with the W3C.

Really only changes the first sentence of this section, since with the 
possible exception of notation, which is defined differently in the XML 
Infoset, we don't even define the same abstract data set. (well, 
actually could change the normative reference to the Infoset, 2 
Normative References. The other references to it in 4.1, 2nd paragraph 
and 5th paragraph are just references to following the formalism.)

Seems to me we should simply go ahead and say that 13250-2 is defining 
an abstract data set for interchange syntaxes, if I am reading the scope 
statement properly, for use in other parts of the standard. Then simply 
say we are following the formalism of the XML Infoset.

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Patrick

-- 
Patrick Durusau
Director of Research and Development
Society of Biblical Literature
Patrick.Durusau@sbl-site.org
Chair, V1 - Text Processing: Office and Publishing Systems Interface
Co-Editor, ISO 13250, Topic Maps -- Reference Model

Topic Maps: Human, not artificial, intelligence at work!