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Bug 9541 - TokenInfo term confusing
Summary: TokenInfo term confusing
Status: RESOLVED LATER
Alias: None
Product: XPath / XQuery / XSLT
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Full Text 1.0 (show other bugs)
Version: Proposed Recommendation
Hardware: All All
: P2 normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Jim Melton
QA Contact: Mailing list for public feedback on specs from XSL and XML Query WGs
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2010-04-16 15:59 UTC by Paul J. Lucas
Modified: 2011-01-05 22:12 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:

Attachments

Description Paul J. Lucas 2010-04-16 15:59:27 UTC 
From section 4.1.2:

Definition: A TokenInfo represents a contiguous collection of tokens from an XML document. 

In comparison for QueryTokenInfo:

Definition: A QueryTokenInfo is the identity of a [single] token inside a query string.

Assuming that my insertion of the word "single" into the definition of QueryTokenInfo for clarity is correct, then a QueryTokenInfo is info for a single token whereas TokenInfo is info for "a contiguous collection of tokens."

The name "TokenInfo" sounds like it has info only for a single token, but it actually is either a "range" or "span" of info for "a contiguous collection of tokens."

I therefore suggest that "TokenInfo" be renamed to something like "TokenSpan" or "TokenRange".
Comment 1 Liam R E Quin 2010-05-11 16:33:36 UTC 
The joint Working Groups considered this, and agreed it would be an improvement, but we don't have resources to justify this sort of change rght now.

You could always consider joining the Working Group...
Comment 2 Paul J. Lucas 2010-05-11 17:23:29 UTC 
In private communication with Liam Quin, he suggested that if I "feel strongly that [the name change] needs to be done now, please reopen the bug and we'll reconsider."

OK, so I'm reopening it.  While the mere name of something might seem trivial, it's important to choose good names and the earlier the better.  Names affect how people talk about things, how implementers will name their data structures, how others will write their own documentation, papers, books, etc.

Naturally, people will use the names used in the specification.  If a name is confusing, it will only cause the confusion to proliferate.  If the name is changed in a future release, then there will already be legacy documentation, books, code, etc., that uses the old name.

Speaking as an XQuery Full Text implementor, XQuery, although being a rich and expressive language, is quite a complicated language, both for users and implementors.  Having clear names for things is a necessary foundation.

Thank you for your reconsideration.
Comment 3 Pat Case 2010-05-18 15:59:03 UTC 
Paul,

The XQuery and XSL Working Groups did not have concensus to change the name of  TokenInfo at this time. We may consider the change in a future verion.

Pat Case, Library of Congress, Member XQuery Working Group
Comment 4 Paul J. Lucas 2011-01-05 22:12:35 UTC 
OK, well if you're not going to change it, I see no reason to close the bug.