Re: New vCard Ontology draft

Just my two cents: When we absolutely have to rename conceptual elements in GoodRelations, we use the following pattern:

1. We mark the old element as deprecated using the OWL2 owl:deprecated meta-property.
2. We create a new conceptual element with the desired new name.
3. We create owl:equivalentClass (for classes), owl:equivalentProperty (for property) or owl:sameAs (for individuals) links. In fact, we create them on both sides, so that incomplete reasoners who do not realize the symmetrical nature of those can still operate on the data.
4. We give hints in the rdfs:comment and rdfs:label properties.

By that means, we can rename elements with minimal damage to existing data and applications. We do so rarely, but there are cases where the gains outweigh the pains for the ecosystem as a whole.

Below, you find an example (some time ago the ontologically motivated yet clumsy gr:ActualProductOrService was renamed to gr:Individual.

Best

Martin


gr:ActualProductOrServiceInstance a owl:Class;
	owl:deprecated true;
	owl:equivalentClass gr:Individual;
	rdfs:comment "DEPRECATED - This class is superseded by gr:Individual. Replace all occurrences of gr:ActualProductOrServiceInstance by gr:Individual, if possible."@en;
	rdfs:isDefinedBy <http://purl.org/goodrelations/v1>;
	rdfs:label "Actual product or service instance (DEPRECATED)"@en;
	rdfs:subClassOf gr:ProductOrService.


gr:Individual a owl:Class;
	owl:equivalentClass gr:ActualProductOrServiceInstance;
	rdfs:comment """A gr:Individual is an actual product or service instance, i.e., a single identifiable object or action that creates some increase in utility (in the economic sense) for the individual possessing or using this very object (product) or for the individual in whose favor this very action is being taken (service). Products or services are types of goods in the economic sense. For an overview of goods and commodities in economics, see Milgate (1987).

Examples: MyThinkpad T60, the pint of beer standing in front of me, my Volkswagen Golf, the haircut that I received or will be receiving at a given date and time.

Note 1: In many cases, product or service instances are not explicitly exposed on the Web but only claimed to exist (i.e. existentially quantified). In this case, use gr:SomeItems.
Note 2: This class is the new, shorter form of the former gr:ActualProductOrServiceInstance."""@en;
	rdfs:isDefinedBy <http://purl.org/goodrelations/v1>;
	rdfs:label "Individual"@en;
	rdfs:subClassOf gr:ProductOrService;
	owl:disjointWith gr:SomeItems, gr:ProductOrServiceModel.



On May 6, 2013, at 4:00 PM, KANZAKI Masahide wrote:

> 2013/5/6 Renato Iannella <ri@semanticidentity.com>
> 
> On 3 May 2013, at 12:57, KANZAKI Masahide <mkanzaki@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Changing property names would break them. Terms should be stable, especially in the same namespace, IMHO.
> 
> If we added equivalent properties in these cases (and were it makes sense), what that also address your concern?
> 
> Well, it would avoid some of the worst problems, though I think retaining existing terms would be much simpler and better.
> 
> If you really think new terms are necessary, it is advised to also add change notes and show the rationale.
> 
> cheers,
> 
> -- 
> @prefix : <http://www.kanzaki.com/ns/sig#> . <> :from [:name
> "KANZAKI Masahide"; :nick "masaka"; :email "mkanzaki@gmail.com"].



--------------------------------------------------------
martin hepp
e-business & web science research group
universitaet der bundeswehr muenchen

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Received on Tuesday, 7 May 2013 07:07:53 UTC