Re: ANNOUNCE: Semantic Web Illustration Series

Paul,

Nice diagrams!  My comments:

Other differences between XML and RDF:
1. RDF makes relationships explicit.  (In XML significant relationships are 
often implied by the subtree context.)

2. XML provides many ways of representing information:
         element names
         element data
         attribute names
         attribute data
         presence/absence of elements/attributes
         element/attribute subtree context:
                 ancestors/descendents in subtree hierarchy
                 ordering among siblings (elements only)
whereas RDF just uses collections of triples.

Some nitpicks on http://www.semaview.com/d/RDFvsXML_6000x1024.jpg:

1. "The structure of an XML document is that of a balanced tree".  I'm 
wondering how the word "balanced" snuck in there, since there's nothing in 
XML that requires an XML tree to be balanced.  Many XML trees are very 
unbalanced.

2. Several of the points seem to make value judgements that are not backed 
up or explained:
         "5. XML is complex to query"
         "6. XML is syntax RDF is semantics"
         "7. RDF allows the computer to infer or deduce"
It would be helpful to give the reader a hint about *why* they are true.

3. A potential server problem: I couldn't get the JPG version of "The 
Semantic Web Illustrated" 
http://www.semaview.com/d/SWIllustrated_1280x1024.jpg to finish loading, 
though I'm on a cable modem and tried twice.
I was able to get the PDF version: http://www.semaview.com/d/SWIllustrated.pdf

Message from: "Paul Cowles" <paul@semaview.com>:

>RDF vs. XML Illustrated
>http://www.semaview.com/c/RDFvsXML.html
>Designed as a one minute overview of the differences and similarities of
>RDF and XML, this illustration discusses approximately a dozen key
>points in language that can be understood by managers and techies alike.
>
>The Semantic Web Illustrated
>http://www.semaview.com/c/SW.html
>Designed as a one minute overview of the Semantic Web.
>
>PDF and JPEG versions available.
>
>Coming soon - OWL, FOAF, and RSS Illustrated.
>http://www.semaview.com/c/publications.html
>
>Discussion about the illustrations should be directed to
>paul@semaview.com;
>we encourage feedback and comments that we may incorporate into future
>versions.
>
>Regards,
>Paul

-- 
David Booth
W3C Fellow / Hewlett-Packard
Telephone: +1.617.253.1273

Received on Friday, 21 February 2003 17:54:48 UTC