Re: RDFa and Web Directions North 2009

Manu, I normally delete my emails once they are read and taken care of. I'm
going to keep this one as a reminder to keep my ego in check.

I've just joined this group in the hopes of getting involved in the
development of RDFa. I am excited about it's possibilities. I don't have
much time but I do have four hours a week (most weeks) I could spend on
anything that needs doing.

My background is in fine art and design, so I may not be the help that RDFa
needs but maybe there is a unique contribution I can make. I feel a real
desire to support the development of RDFa. I feel semantic understanding on
the part of the system could open a new chapter in our ability to
communicate with each other via the internet.

I met Manu at Web Directions North (a great event). Manu said the place to
start was to join this list. Check. If anyone has any suggestions for next
steps, send 'em on. If not, I'll keep learning, keep my eyes open and try to
find a place to dig in.

Cheers,
Tom DeForest


On 2/13/09 9:06 AM, "Manu Sporny" <msporny@digitalbazaar.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> On 13/2/09 11:15, Michael Bolger wrote:
>> Friends of XHTML, are seeing a train wreck, the same "old" W3C
>> "hero-worshiped" "leadership" does nothing of any substance to join
>> the battle. HTML 5 has won by default.
> 
> Michael, this is not necessarily addressed to you, it's addressed to
> people that feel that there is some sort of grand conflict between
> groups on the Web concerning standards.
> 
> It is a mistake to draw imaginary lines between these groups and call
> this a "battle" or a "war" where one side "wins" or "loses". Human
> nature causes us to prefer grouping ourselves with like-minded folks and
> referring our group as "us", always working against the other group we
> call "them". We have discovered throughout history that human nature can
> easily lead us down the wrong path. This discussion is no exception.
> 
> Some are attempting to create an "us" vs."them" war with Microformats
> and RDFa, others with XHTML2 and HTML5. As Dan mentioned in his e-mail,
> when one refers to these discussions as conflicts, they do more to harm
> the Web than help it.
> 
> There is a great degree of cross-pollination that happens between
> Microformats and RDFa, XHTML and HTML5. The ones that are involved in
> creating these standards are involved in all of the groups to some
> degree. Each standard builds on the tome of work produced by the W3C and
> other standards bodies.
> 
> More importantly, if you've ever had the pleasure to meet some of these
> people - you will note that they are all very friendly, interesting,
> non-violent people who will listen to a logical argument backed by good
> data. The discussions can be heated exchanges between teachers,
> scientists and researchers - not soldiers.
> 
> If you ever see the need to refer to these arguments as a "conflict",
> please take a deep breath and realize that things are not as they may
> seem. We are all most likely sitting comfortably at a desk or in a
> couch, well fed, tapping away on our keyboards in a environmentally
> controlled building or home.
> 
> If we screw these standards up, nobody is going to die and the Web will
> continue to survive and grow. All of us are doing our best to move the
> web forward - it is the common thread that binds us all together. We
> fundamentally believe in the power of the Web and its ability to
> positively contribute to the human condition. We should focus on that to
> help us move forward.
> 
> So - if you ever feel the need to describe the interaction of the
> Microformats, RDFa, XHTML or HTML5 communities as a conflict or war -
> sit back, take a deep breath, and realize that you're a geek that
> believes in the power of the Web. When you post to these lists, we are
> all in this adventure together and each of us are passionate about the
> future of Internet. While our methods may differ, we all want to make
> the Web better and help it grow.
> 
> More importantly, if you see anybody else attempt to create a conflict
> between the communities - point their behavior out to them. While
> intellectual argument is healthy, conflict is not... do your part to
> prevent or resolve conflict and help move the Web forward.
> 
> -- manu
> 
> --
> Manu Sporny
> President/CEO - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
> Scaling Web Services past 100,000 Simultaneous Connections
> http://blog.digitalbazaar.com/2008/09/30/scaling-webservices-part-1
>

Received on Friday, 13 February 2009 17:11:25 UTC