On Oct 19, 2005, at 6:17 AM, jeroen bekaert wrote:
> I am afraid I do not agree. Making elements optional (or removing  
> elements
> from the PREMIS XML Schema) because this would solve the redundancy
> between PREMIS and METS is a bad way forward. PREMIS will be used in
> conjunction with many technologies (including METS, MPEG-21 DIDL,  
> CCSDS
> XFDU, etc.) and therefore should be defined independently of such
> technologies.

I don't really see a contradiction between maintaining independent  
design
and insuring that your design plays well with others.  I think your  
suggestion
below has some merit:

> Let me end with a constructive note. Instead of changing the PREMIS  
> Schema
> based on practical issues resulting from its use with METS, one may
> consider defining the PREMIS elements and attributes in a global  
> manner
> (instead of defining them locally as is the case in the current  
> PREMIS XML
> Schema). This would allow for the re-use of inidividual PREMIS  
> elements
> and attributes, including XML fragments, in other technological
> environments (including METS) when needed.

but note that it is also a redesign of the schema to make it play  
well with
others.  If we were to take a completely independent design approach, we
wouldn't need to worry about interoperability, and we wouldn't need  
to make
the change you suggest.  So the real issue is what changes have to be  
made
to insure the schema's interoperability with a variety of other  
standards.
Globalization of elements is one direction we should probably pursue,  
but even with
global elements, I think the issues of what elements are mandatory  
and what
are optional should be given some thought.  I'm increasingly of the  
opinion
that schema are going to need to be as flexible as possible, and more
restrictive aspects of their application is going to need to be  
handled through
profiling mechanisms.

Jerome McDonough, Asst. Professor
Graduate School of Library & Information Science
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
501 E. Daniel Street, Room 202
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 244-5916
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