xml-dev - RE: XSL and the semantic web

[Miles Sabin <msabin@cromwellmedia.co.uk>]

John Cowan wrote,
> Miles Sabin wrote:
> > This analogy is actually quite dangerous to your
> > position. Typists are freely available (free speech,
> > not free beer). As long as the semantic info is
> > available (hardcopy or HTML crud) it can be
> > transcribed.
>
> Typists can regenerate the surface form, but not the 
> lost semantic markup.

Are you sure about that? Granted they _might_ not be
able to restore the semantic markup that was placed
there by the originator (tho' I think they might well
be able to infer a lot of it in many cases: remember
they're people not machines).

But in any case, do we necessarily _care_ about the 
originators markup? Yes, if their idea of what's
significant matches ours, but not necessarily otherwise.
So our typists, or maybe 'knowledge engineers', add the
markup _we_ want.

A dreadful prospect, I agree, and clearly contrary to
the spirit of the semantic web, but, I'm afraid it looks
to be pretty much consistent with your open/closed
source analogy (which was the only thing I was quibbling
about BTW).

Cheers,


Miles

-- 
Miles Sabin                          Cromwell Media
Internet Systems Architect           5/6 Glenthorne Mews
+44 (0)181 410 2230                  London, W6 0LJ
msabin@cromwellmedia.co.uk           England

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