punting on beta9

[Matt Jones]

Hey,

There are a number of modules that have not yet been finished, so we are 
going to have to wait on the release of beta9.  I propose we shoot for 
the end of next week to package the release.  Can everyone be done their 
modules by say Wednesday?

I'm making headway on the packaging changes and have been discussing at 
leat 5 alternative technologies for satisfying our requirements while 
simplifying our system.  We are leaning towards ID/IDREF from XML, or 
key/keyref from XML Schema, or XLink.  They all have some fatal flaw 
with regards to our goals, and their similarities are deep, so the 
choice may be somewhat arbitrary.  This packaging/linking issue is also 
tightly bound to the "distribution" element in resource, and what it 
means to have an external link.  I'll try to send an email Monday that 
outlines a proposed approach.  Sorry for the delay -- its been confusing 
work.

These packaging changes, as well as copyright and namespace changes, 
will need to be layered on top of all of the other module changes that 
you are making, so it would be good if you could try to wrap up your 
module changes by the middle of next week.

Thanks for all of the work!
Matt
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Matt Jones                                    jones at nceas.ucsb.edu
http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/    Fax: 425-920-2439   Ph: 907-789-0496
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)

Interested in ecological informatics? http://www.ecoinformatics.org
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