Re: Resource Description Format and XML-Data

Don Park (donpark@quake.net)
Wed, 28 Jan 1998 13:00:34 -0800


>Note that XML-Data contains a DTD replacement facility which seems
>oblivious to the existence of the RDF and, most surprisingly, the
>RDF Schema groups in the W3C Metadata activity. This is most surprising
>since the group which authored XML-Data is heavily represented in both
>these efforts.

This is not surprising if you assume that Microsoft invested lots of
resources to make their entire database product line work with XML-Data.
>From my past experiences with them, they will probably hit with XML-Data
support in Microsoft Access and then move on to ODBC, OLE DB, and so on. It
will hurt them to use RDF because of time and because competitors of MS are
going through RDF route. If MS slows down RDF approval process, MS gains
big and competitors will have wasted lots of money going after RDF.

Anyway, I am not for MS nor against MS. I just think they are making a
brilliant strategic move despite the fact that MS is moving right toward
where I am (yes, I am in the XML-Database arena). You can be an ant and
still enjoy the thrill of jousting with an elephant. I am looking forward
to it, matter fact...

Don Park
Developer/Consultant
http://www.quake.net/~donpark/index.html