CDFN: Name and purpose

[martinl@talk21.com]

Name:

How about KDF for Karst Data Format?

Karst - this includes most underground features (not limited to limestone as Olly seems to think; most people would include lava, gypsum, salt, quartzite, ice, and even peat as capable of exhibiting karstic behaviour and or features). Most notably, of course it definitely (allow the pun) includes caves, but we should also be allowing for surface features as important aspects of karst. Karst probably doesn't really cover mines, but mine exploration enthusiasts don't seem to have any difficulty in recognising the similarity to caves and karst by extension.

Data - we are talking about identifying our data in a definitive way. XML does this par excellence by tagging everything. Whether this is used for more or less permanent storage; for transient packaging during interchange; or for direct processing is not something to worry about. 

Format - well, it's a format, so let's say so - is that unnerdy enough?  

Purpose:

I think the data format will come to be processed directly more than converted to other formats. XSLT (using XPath for pattern matching) is already very capable: you can generate useful formatted reports, maps, and diagrams by aggregating and processing the data. Parse the data into Java, Python otr the like and you have the capability to do just about anything. There are several query languages being developed which show great promise for giving standard database functions..

Storage will be routine.

Interchange will be incidental.



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