On Tue, Nov 2, 2021 at 1:58 PM Nisha Kumar <[email protected]> wrote:

> Bubbling this to the top of everyone's email as a follow up to this week's
> SPDX tech meeting (Nov 2 2021):
>
> 1. Is a "Collection" an object containing 1 or more "Elements"?
>

A Collection is like a set or array containing 0 or more Elements.  It can
contain many Elements but can also be empty (like an empty manifest for a
deadheading truck).


> 2. Is a "ContextualCollection" an object containing 1 or more "Elements"
> that are in some way or the other related?
>

ContextualCollection is a synonym for Collection.  The context does not
necessarily exist within the Elements themselves, it exists because the
collection (like a folder or zipfile of unrelated files) creates it.

3. Is a "Document" a "Collection"?
>

Document is now (in v3) a synonym for Collection.  In v2 Document had the
semantics of an SBOM - it was a particular type of collection with
particular types of members.


> From the perspective of ORAS Artifacts use case (and Steve Lasker can
> correct me on this), a "Collection" that is created at a given point in
> time contains "Elements" that are ALWAYS related via the client tools'
> interpretation of a workflow.
>

Yes.  The Collection is created at a given point in time.  The client that
creates the collection HAS a workflow, it creates the collection to support
that workflow, and thereby assigns meaning to the collection.  The Elements
in the collection are by definition related because they are "used in
Client X's workflow" or are "members of collection Y".

Dave


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