Dear Larry,

thank you for your comments.

On Oct 10, 2009, at 19:44 , Larry Masinter wrote:
> 5) ** EDITORIAL USE OF URI FOR IRI **
> 
> "Throughout this specification, wherever the term URI [URI] is used, it can 
> be replaced interchangeably with the term IRI [RFC3987]. All widget URIs are 
> IRIs, but the term URI is more common and was therefore preferred for 
> readability."
> 
> Seriously, do we need a W3C Guideline or Finding to cover "DO NOT REDEFINE 
> TERMS"? 
> There's glory for you! (see http://www.sabian.org/Alice/lgchap06.htm ).
> 
> Suggestion: Use "IRI" since that's what is meant.

It seems that we seriously need a finding explaining to specification authors 
that creating new terms where existing widely used ones can be made to work is 
a bad idea that will most likely fail. Most technically savvy people I have 
ever met don't know what an IRI is, and of the happy few who do I've seen many 
a native English speaker stumble while trying to speak of them orally.

All that is needed for interoperability is for implementers to know that widget 
URIs are IRIs, and the document addresses that. Importing the "IRI" term into 
our space would have as sole further benefit to import the confusion and 
tongue-twisting that surround it.

I recommend that while IRIs are being reinvestigated at the IETF, the naming 
issue be addressed.

-- 
Robin Berjon - http://berjon.com/




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