Re: SPARQL, philosophy n'stuff..

On 4/19/13 7:44 AM, Mark Baker wrote:
> Kingsley,
>
> On Thu, Apr 18, 2013 at 11:21 AM, Kingsley Idehen
> <kidehen@openlinksw.com> wrote:
>> The global Web is a functional Data Space equipped with a declarative query
>> language based on the Web's architectural essence (URIs and HTTP). It can
>> work, and will work. The challenge is getting folks to hone in to what
>> possible circa. 2013 :-)
> I can accept that definition of "query language", and agree... but
> don't believe we need a separate query language to do these new
> things.
>
> The original query language you describe is what makes the Web, the
> Web. We can't just swap it out and expect the resulting architecture
> to still be the Web and exhibit its same desirable architectural
> properties.

But I don't see how the following break the model:

1. sparql-protocol
2. sparql-update protocol
3. sparql-graph-store protocol.

They are all HTTP based.
>
> There are solutions to these problems within the constraints of REST.

REST and SPARQL (as per the items above) aren't mutually exclusive. 
Basically, as I believe Leigh stated in an earlier thread, we just need 
tweak things a little en route to making them more RESTful.

I do profoundly believe that simple REST patterns can be used to front 
SPARQL-* protocols in a mutually beneficial way. ODBC, JDBC, ADO.NET, 
OLEDB etc.. delivered similar in the SQL RDBMS realm which lead to an 
explosion of RDBMS independent tools.

The SQL RDBMS realm has/had flaws that REST address very well, and so 
all we have to do is collectively come up with the following SPARQL-* 
compliments:

1. RESTful interaction patterns for data exploration
2. RESTful interaction patterns for Insert, Update, and Delete 
operations -- LDP is sorta working on this but even there we have 
strains of the same distracting struggles between SPARQL, SPARQL-*, and 
HATEOS.


> Let's explore those first before jumping to the conclusion that we
> need to expose SPARQL.

We are in agreement (sorta). Our differences are more to do with how we 
describe the relationship between SPARQL and REST. I find the 
relationship complimentary from top to bottom, mutual inclusion is the 
way to go en route to getting we all seek :-)


>
> Mark.
>
>
>
Links:

1. http://www.w3.org/TR/sparql11-protocol/#update-operation -- SPARQL 
Update Protocol
2. http://www.w3.org/TR/sparql11-http-rdf-update/ - Graph Store Protocol .

-- 

Regards,

Kingsley Idehen	
Founder & CEO
OpenLink Software
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