Re: What is the SIOC-o-sphere?

John Breslin wrote:
>
> Hi all -
>
> I just want to give an introduction to new list members regarding 
> SIOC, the (Semantically-Interconnected Online Communities) project 
> [1], lead by DERI at NUI Galway. I know Uldis has given a brief 
> overview in his hello message... Basically, what SIOC is is an open 
> specification for describing communities using online discussion 
> forums / blogs / mailing lists / etc., leading to what some may term 
> distributed conversations and channels (see discussion clouds picture 
> at [2]). At the moment, online communities are islands that are not 
> well interlinked, and the SIOC ontology has been proposed to not only 
> link these communities but to leverage data in ways that were 
> previously unknown.
>
> We know that Web 2.0 applications such as blogging and wikis have 
> become very popular and at the same time have created an 
> interconnected information space (through the “blogosphere” and 
> inter-wiki links). Also, the Semantic Web is increasingly aiming at 
> applications areas, and can help address certain boundaries that Web 
> 2.0 applications are experiencing in terms of information 
> dissemination and automation (e.g. semantic blogging, semantic wikis, 
> etc.). So far, it is probably fair to say that the Semantic Web effort 
> has been mainly towards producing standards and recommendations that 
> will interlink applications, and Web 2.0 was about providing 
> collaborative user applications - these are not mutually exclusive as 
> many Web 2.0 applications can and will use Semantic Web technologies 
> to great benefit (see our recent tutorial on Semantic Web 2.0 at [3]).
>
> If the blogosphere is the interconnected world of weblogs, and the 
> boardscape is the world of message boards, the "SIOC-o-sphere" can be 
> thought of as the combination of these and other spheres of discussion 
> (Usenet, mailing lists, image gallery discussions, event chats, etc.). 
> Just as the blogosphere has become a proving ground for Web 2.0 
> applications, we envisage the siocosphere and its interconnected 
> representation of all Web-based community discussions as being a 
> bridge from Web 2.0 to the Semantic Web.
>
> The initial version of our SIOC specification was released some time 
> ago. It can be used in conjunction with other RDF formats such as FOAF 
> and SKOS (see the picture of overlaps at [4]). In terms of producing 
> metadata, we've started with SIOC exporters for open-source discussion 
> systems such as WordPress, Drupal, dotClear, and more are on the way 
> (I started the phpBB one last week). You can also represent mailing 
> lists in SIOC using the SWAML system.
>
> While there are many (useful) classes and properties in SIOC, it can 
> essentially be boiled down to: Users create Posts that are contained 
> in Forums that are hosted on Sites, e.g.
>
> Site -> host_of -> Forum -> container_of -> Post -> has_creator -> User
>
> Posts have reply Posts, and Forums can be parents of other Forums.
>
> I know it's difficult to get a good feeling for what SIOC is from a 
> mail message, but we have some presentations [5] in PDF or video 
> format that may help explain things graphically, and I am looking 
> forward to your inputs and of course continued SIOC interest via SWEO.
>
> Thanks,
>
> John.
> -- 
> [1] http://sioc-project.org/
> [2] http://sioc-project.org/node/139
> [3] http://sw.deri.org/~jbreslin/presentations/20060526a.pdf
> [4] http://sioc-project.org/node/158
> [5] http://sioc-project.org/presentations
>
John,

So in a nutshell we have a potential "Killer Demonstration" for the 
Blogosphere (which is the Web 2.0 epicenter) that simplifies 
comprehension of the fundamental Semantic Web value proposition: a Web 
of Data that's oriented towards "Meshing" and "Joining". A complimentary 
enhancement to the "Web of Services" (what Web 2.0 really is all about) 
that emits data that can only be mashed due to lack of context and meaning.

A simple example:
Wouldn't it be nice to unequivocally state to typical Web 2.0 thought 
leaders and the broader Web community [1][2][3] that by having Web 
1.0/2.0 presence you also have Semantic Web presence? That the minimum 
requirement is simply the existence of a Feed (RSS 1.0, RSS 2.0, or 
Atom) that syndicates your content?.

Links:

1. http://demo.openlinksw.com/tutorial/xml/xq_s_4/gnomedexers.vsp 
(Gnomedex 2005 attendees)
2. http://demo.openlinksw.com/tutorial/xml/xq_s_4/techcrunch.vsp 
(TechCrunch meetup)
3. http://demo.openlinksw.com/tutorial/xml/xq_s_4/web2005.vsp (2005 Web 
2.0 Speakers)
4. http://demo.openlinksw.com/tutorial/xml/xq_s_4/blog100.vsp 
(Blogosphere 100)

Note: Click on the SIOC gems for the RDF/XML serialization of the SIOC 
Instance Data.


-- 


Regards,

Kingsley Idehen	      Weblog: http://www.openlinksw.com/blog/~kidehen
President & CEO 
OpenLink Software     Web: http://www.openlinksw.com

Received on Thursday, 21 December 2006 16:27:57 UTC