I get the sense that attributes in XML are one of the barriers to
cross-walking XML and RDF. So if we take an example like Bruce used in
his recent posting:
<mads xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.loc.gov/mads/mads.xsd">
<authority>
<topic authority="lcsh">Computer programming
</topic>
</authority>
<related type="broader">
<topic>Computers</topic>
</related>
<related type="narrower">
<topic>Programming languages</topic>
</related>
<related type="other">
<topic>Systems Analysis</topic>
</related>
</mads>
.. would it be enough to make author and type sub-elements of the topic
elements, i.e.
<mads xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.loc.gov/mads/mads.xsd">
<authority>
<topic>Computer programming
<authorityList>lcsh</authorityList>
</topic>
</authority>
<related>
<topic>Computers
<relatedType>broader</relatedType>
<authorityList>lcsh</authorityList>
</topic>
</related>
etc.
And if that's all it would take, what is the downside of using this
style? Are there particular advantages to using attributes vs. elements?
-----------------------------------
Karen Coyle / Digital Library Consultant
[log in to unmask] http://www.kcoyle.net
ph.: 510-540-7596
fx.: 510-848-3913
mo.: 510-435-8234
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