ISSUE-143: Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology

Prefixes too complicated

Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology

State:
CLOSED
Product:
RDFa 1.1 in HTML5
Raised by:
Manu Sporny
Opened on:
2012-10-24
Description:
This issue was raised in the HTML WG when the HTML5+RDFa 1.1 specification was being published there:

http://www.w3.org/html/wg/tracker/issues/120

Since publication of the specification is now under the RDFa WG purview, this group is officially taking on the Formal Objection by Tab Atkins Jr:

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2012Oct/0149.html

The text of the original issue can be found below:

HTML+RDFa uses indirect binding of prefixes, similar in spirit and syntax to Namespaces in XML. Some argue that this is intrinsically too complicated to be a good design for a Web technology:

"The use of prefixes that can be bound to arbitrary strings then combined with
other strings to form a third set of strings is IMHO too complicated for a
technology intended for broad Web deployment (e.g. in text/html)...

The problems with prefixes that can be bound to arbitrary strings then combined
with other strings to form a third set of string are documented and
demonstrable. The examples you gave are either things that don't use such
prefixes (like URIs), or that do and have not had anywhere near the level of
deployed success that HTML has (like XML namespaces).

This bug is not arguing against RDFa. It's arguing against a particular design
decision in RDFa that is not intrinsic to RDFa's design goals."

Others disagree, and think this design is fine, or at least necessary.

The scope of this issue is to determine whether to remove or replace the prefix mechanism of HTML+RDFa, or leave it as-is.

Related bugzilla bug: http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=7670

(Raised on behalf of Ian Hickson)
Related Actions Items:
No related actions
Related emails:
  1. Official Response to ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated) from RDFa WG (from msporny@digitalbazaar.com on 2013-01-19)
  2. Telecon Agenda - January 17th 2012, 1500 UTC (from msporny@digitalbazaar.com on 2013-01-13)
  3. Telecon Agenda - January 10th 2012, 1500 UTC (from msporny@digitalbazaar.com on 2013-01-10)
  4. Re: Resolving remaining issues in the issue tracker (from ivan@w3.org on 2013-01-07)
  5. Resolving remaining issues in the issue tracker (from msporny@digitalbazaar.com on 2013-01-06)
  6. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from msporny@digitalbazaar.com on 2013-01-06)
  7. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from sebastian.heath@gmail.com on 2012-11-06)
  8. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from msporny@digitalbazaar.com on 2012-11-06)
  9. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from stefan@duckflight.de on 2012-11-06)
  10. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from sebastian.heath@gmail.com on 2012-11-06)
  11. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from ivan@w3.org on 2012-11-06)
  12. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from ahby@aptest.com on 2012-11-06)
  13. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from scorlosquet@gmail.com on 2012-11-06)
  14. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from asimong@gmail.com on 2012-11-06)
  15. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from ahby@aptest.com on 2012-11-05)
  16. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from sebastian.heath@gmail.com on 2012-11-05)
  17. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from jackalmage@gmail.com on 2012-11-05)
  18. Re: Telecon Agenda - November 8th 2012, 1500 UTC (from ivan@w3.org on 2012-11-05)
  19. Telecon Agenda - November 8th 2012, 1500 UTC (from msporny@digitalbazaar.com on 2012-11-04)
  20. Re: ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from msporny@digitalbazaar.com on 2012-10-24)
  21. ISSUE-143 (Prefixes too complicated): Use of prefixes is too complicated for a Web technology [RDFa 1.1 in HTML5] (from sysbot+tracker@w3.org on 2012-10-24)

Related notes:

RESOLVED: Keep the prefix-indirection mechanism in HTML5+RDFa 1.1.

http://www.w3.org/2010/02/rdfa/meetings/2012-11-08#resolution_2


RESOLVED: Allow prefixes specified in the RDFa initial context to be overridden using the prefix-indirection mechanism HTML5+RDFa 1.1.

http://www.w3.org/2010/02/rdfa/meetings/2012-11-08#resolution_3

RESOLVED: Generate a warning in the processor graph when a prefix
declared in the RDFa initial context is overridden with an IRI that is
different from the IRI specified in the RDFa Initial Context.

http://www.w3.org/2010/02/rdfa/meetings/2012-11-08#resolution_4

Manu Sporny, 19 Jan 2013, 19:40:20

Official Response to Formal Objection:
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-rdfa-wg/2013Jan/0057.html

Manu Sporny, 19 Jan 2013, 19:40:43

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