Re: [JSON] RDF collections and JSON arrays

There are less constructs in JSON than in RDF if we include lists (and 
contains?), multiple object value, properties aren't map keys, literals 
have three internal elements etc.  What JSON does have that RDF does not 
is that position in a datastructure can be used to encoded different 
aspects.

So any serialization is going to have to "give" somewhere :-(

RDF collections being encoded in triples are very hard to deal with 
generally.  Next time, make them first class objects in the data model 
please.

	Andy

On 25/03/11 08:33, Steve Harris wrote:
> Equally I see using [ ] just to encode multiple object for a single
> subject and predicate as problematic, consider (in no particular
> syntax):
>
> { ... "http://example.com/alice": { "foaf:name": "Alice" },
> "http://example.com/bob": { "foaf:name": [ "Bob", "Bob Smith" ] } }
>
> That makes access to the data without a library tricky, as for every
> "object" you read, you'll need some conditional designed to test if
> it's an array/vector/list, or a literal value.
>
> Though it makes the simple case uglier, it would probably be better
> to always use an array to represent objects, if the aim is to allow
> access without a library:
>
> { ... "http://example.com/alice": { "foaf:name": [ "Alice" ] },
> "http://example.com/bob": { "foaf:name": [ "Bob", "Bob Smith" ] } }
>
> I'm also not keen on [[ ]] for RDF collections, but don't see a
> sensible alternative. The triple-based representation is neither
> machine, nor human friendly, IMHO.
>
> - Steve
>
> On 2011-03-25, at 08:11, Ivan Herman wrote:
>
>> I agree that having a syntactic sugar for lists would be a good
>> thing, similarly to what Turtle already has.
>>
>> The problem is that the list syntax of JSON, ie, '[...]' is would
>> be very useful for cases when we'd want to define shortcuts. Eg,
>> the equivalent of
>>
>> :a :b :c, :d .
>>
>> in Turtle would make use of something like '[ :c, :d ]' and I am
>> not sure there is an alternative for that.
>>
>> So no, it is not trivial nor obvious... Hence the slightly ugly
>>
>> [[ :c,:d ]]
>>
>> proposal that came up on the list. I would have to hold by nose
>> looking at that, but I do not see any radically different
>> alternative:-(
>>
>> Ivan
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mar 25, 2011, at 24:25 , Pat Hayes wrote:
>>
>>> Um... I am not sure if this is trivial or obvious, but has the WG
>>> thought about the RDF collections vocabulary in the JSON context?
>>> Since this is supposed to correspond as nearly as possible to a
>>> LISP list, it seems it would be 'natural' for an RDF collection
>>> to map into a JSON array. And if this is to round-trip, then
>>> these arrays must be somehow marked as coming from an RDF
>>> collection so that they can be mapped back into one.
>>>
>>> I wish I had something more constructive to offer on this point,
>>> but I don't, other than to suggest it might turn out to be
>>> important, since the collection vocabulary is used to extensively
>>> in the OWL/RDF syntax. While OWL is not a prime target for our
>>> WG, it would seem to be a good idea to define a JSON mapping
>>> which does not completely screw up OWL, if at all possible.
>>>
>>> Just a 2c observation.
>>>
>>> Pat ------------------------------------------------------------
>>> IHMC                                     (850)434 8903 or
>>> (650)494 3973 40 South Alcaniz St.           (850)202 4416
>>> office Pensacola                            (850)202 4440   fax
>>> FL 32502                              (850)291 0667   mobile
>>> phayesAT-SIGNihmc.us       http://www.ihmc.us/users/phayes
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> ---- Ivan Herman, W3C Semantic Web Activity Lead Home:
>> http://www.w3.org/People/Ivan/ mobile: +31-641044153 PGP Key:
>> http://www.ivan-herman.net/pgpkey.html FOAF:
>> http://www.ivan-herman.net/foaf.rdf
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>

Received on Friday, 25 March 2011 08:57:56 UTC