xml-dev - Re: Success factors for the Web and Semantic Web

[Uche Ogbuji <uche.ogbuji@fourthought.com>]

> To me, TimBL's vision is clear but the process isn't. Let's clarify thet:
> There are just a few problems with the Semantic Web vision that need to be
> solved (not moaned at, or used as evidence to show how the SW will fail!):-
>
>      1. A Namespace is not definitive. Two different langauges point
>           to the same NS, but it has no Schema - which one is correct?

I don't know what this means.  What is this "language"?  Is it an XML
vocabulary/schema?  What is this "correct"?  Is it a matter of authority
to use a namespace?

>           (Action: make sure that namespaces are dereferencable)

Even more confused now.  How does making namespaces dereferencable solve
whatever problem obtains from having different languages reference a
single namespace?

>      2. A Namespace is still not definitive. Tim's example was of a URI
>           for Zip codes. There could be hundreds of them: no one is going
>           to use the same one!

I'm still not understanding you.

>      3. There is no current way to ascribe structure to extended RDF.
> (Action:
>           create a way!)

What is this "extended RDF"?  I'm not even sure I can guess what it is.

> it used to be. THe best actions to create a Semantic Web IMO are (based on
> Tim's ramblings):-
>
>      1. Create XML to RDF extraction tools.

Happenning all the while.  Examples include Jonathan Borden's work, and
that of Dan Connolly, who even has a system for extracting RDF from
RFC822.  There is much knowledge staggering about the ether in RFC822.

>      2. Create notepad databases of RDF

Can you explain this?

>      3. Link ontologies to real world problems

This should be a fundamental requirement of any ontological engagement.  I
haven't heard of efforts that don't meet this.

>      4. Create GUIs for the RDF model

See the work of Dan Brickley and others.  One of my Fourthought colleagues
is doing some work in this field as well.

>      5. Stop moaning about it and get to work!

Well, from your 1, 3 and 4, I'd have to conclude that the semantic Web is
well on the way, but I think your list is not exhaustive.


-- 
Uche Ogbuji                               Principal Consultant
uche.ogbuji@fourthought.com               +1 303 583 9900 x 101
Fourthought, Inc.                         http://Fourthought.com
4735 East Walnut St, Ste. C, Boulder, CO 80301-2537, USA
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