Ludovic Kuty wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I am trying to define exactly what is an XML document. I know what it
> is of course but for the sake of accuracy, I would like to understand
> well the term "data object" used in the last XML recommendation (5th).
> Before diving into entities, infoset and the likes.
> 
> We can read that "Extensible Markup Language, abbreviated XML,
> describes a class of data objects called XML documents" in the 1st
> section called "Introduction" or that "Definition: A data object is an
> XML document if it is well-formed" in the 2nd section called
> "Documents".
> 
> Does "data object" mean simply "something" or "something digital" or
> has it a more precise meaning than that ?

There is an "annotated specification":
http://www.xml.com/axml/testaxml.htm

That says:
   What Do You Mean By "Data Object?"

Good question. The point is that an XML document is sometimes a file, 
sometimes a record in a relational database, sometimes an object 
delivered by an Object Request Broker, and sometimes a stream of bytes 
arriving at a network socket.

These can all be described as "data objects".

-- 

	Martin Honnen
	http://msmvps.com/blogs/martin_honnen/