Proof: Linked Data does not require RDF (was: Re: The need for RDF in Linked Data)

On 06/17/2013 06:21 PM, Luca Matteis wrote:
> This still doesn't answer my initial question "How do you produce 
> Linked Data without RDF?".

Here's the first way (plain 'ol JSON object):

{
  "id": "http://example.com/people/luca",
  "type": "http://schema.org/Person",
  "name": "Luca Matteis"
}

The document above is interpreted as Linked Data using the following rules:

1. The thing you're talking about is identified via 'id'.
2. The type of the thing you're talking about is identified via 'type'.
3. All keys, except for 'id' and 'type', are appended to 'type''s value,
   with a '/' separator.

That's Linked Data. It has no formal relationship to RDF.

Here's the second way (Microdata):

http://www.w3.org/TR/microdata/

The base Microdata spec has nothing to do with RDF. However, if you are
going to assert that RDFa is Linked Data, then you have to assert that
Microdata is Linked Data. Since Microdata has no linkage to RDF, what
are you left with? Answer: A syntax that allows you to express Linked
Data without using RDF in any way.

Here's the third way (RFC-5988: Web Linking):

http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5988

The Web Linking RFC defines a typed connection between two resources
that are identified by Internationalised Resource Identifiers (IRIs) and
is comprised of:

   o  A context IRI,
   o  a link relation type (Section 4),
   o  a target IRI, and
   o  optionally, target attributes.

Isn't this Linked Data as well?

Here's a fourth way (HAL - Hypertext Application Language):

http://stateless.co/hal_specification.html

"""
HAL provides a set of conventions for expressing hyperlinks to, and
embeddedness of, related resources - the rest of a HAL document is just
plain old JSON or XML. Instead of using linkless JSON/XML, or spending
time developing a custom media type, you can just use HAL and focus on
defining and documenting the link relations that direct your clients
through your API. HAL is a bit like HTML for machines, in that it is
generic and designed to drive many different types of application.
"""

HAL is also Linked Data.

To assert that Linked Data requires RDF requires you to make compelling
arguments against at least these four pieces of evidence.

-- manu

-- 
Manu Sporny (skype: msporny, twitter: manusporny, G+: +Manu Sporny)
Founder/CEO - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
blog: Meritora - Web payments commercial launch
http://blog.meritora.com/launch/

Received on Tuesday, 18 June 2013 00:11:42 UTC