The MCF Using XML proposal comes at a very opportune time. XML is gaining momentum as a general data transfer syntax. Both the PICS Label Syntax Working Group and the DSig Collections Working Group have been asked to formulate XML encodings of their respective metadata models. Meta Content Framework is an often-cited piece of work in knowledge representation. We appreciate the collaboration of these two experts in their respective areas to produce this proposal, leveraging other proposals; especially one by Andrew Layman for a syntax to handle multiple active element namespaces within a single XML document.
An important requirement on the metadata framework is that parsers must be able to produce a parse tree of the metadata without the assistance of an auxiliary format description. This corresponds to the XML well-formed criterion
Next Steps: The MCF Using XML document will be placed on the agenda for the relevant Working Groups to consider. W3C Staff will also review it again in more detail to uncover any issues addressed by other working documents that may need more explicit handling in this proposed XML encoding.
Disclaimer: Placing a Submission on a Working Group agenda does not imply endorsement by either the W3C Staff or the participants of the Working Group, nor does it guarantee that the Working Group will agree to take any specific action on a Submission.