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There are no simple answers. Identifiers are abstract and If you hear of simple answers elsewhere, beware of common fallacies and remember that identifiers (names, not things) are tricky to talk about.
, so it helps to beware of common fallacies. Nothing inherent in ARKs, DOIs, Handles, PURLs, or URNs makes them more or less fit for any particular field, domain, or sector. With an identifier resolver and administrative management service, they all provide the core service of resolution (just like and so do properly managed URLs).
The concrete differences that we experience, such as restrictions on identifier metadata (descriptions) and landing pages, are not properties of identifier strings, but properties of resolution and management services extended to or withheld from identifier strings. The basic service is founded on a reliable database storing each identifier along with metadata elements (creator, title, date, redirection URL, etc) that describe the identified object. Other possible services include link checking, duplicate detection, report generation, and searching.
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