[Odrl-version2] Microdata and RDFa HTML4/5 specs

[Steven Rowat]

Renato Iannella wrote:

> It does seems to be getting a lot confusing now: MicroFormats, RDFa, 
> Microdata.....
> (W3C needs to get its act together better....)

Yes, and that last line seems a difficult problem particularly in the 
case of HTML5. AFAIK, HTML5 has mostly originally been developed by 
people from outside, and is only now becoming part of the W3C process. 
The HTML5 working group, interestingly, has Co-chairs from Microsoft 
(Chris Wilson) and IBM (Sam Ruby), and main Editor from Google (Ian 
Hickson). But there are 360 people in the working group, only 100 of 
whom are from organizations (like those, plus Opera, Mozilla, France 
Telecom, etc. etc.) --the other 260 are so-called "(public) Invited 
Experts", many of whom are not even W3C members; just people 
interested in the workings of HTML5. So the internal dynamics of this 
working group --including corporate needs vs. individual needs-- must 
be very tricky. Plus, it has to be approved by W3C at the end (the 
working group also has 2 coordinators from the W3C), which is another 
whole set of dynamics. All that and the metadata spec is arguably one 
of the biggest descisions of the Web; no wonder there are competing 
interests and process problems.

>  From our perspective (ODRL), we should be in a sound position to 
> support all three, and like most cases, the market will dictate which 
> becomes the most popular...

Good! Then I can choose to enter the fray at W3C, or not, and not have 
to worry too much about which comes out the winner.


steven r.