RE: web proper names

Hi Uche,

Uche Ogbuji writes:
 > > 
 > > Using an IFP - e.g. foaf:mbox. 
 > 
 > Hmm.  My problem is that in the real, muddy world, I think
 > machine-automated merging is going to run into many more ontological
 > problems than you can throw a few OWL gimmicks at.
 > 
 > Just ditch the idea: it's not in the least bit practical.  *People* will
 > always be needed to sort out context, Semantic Web or no.  I think that
 > once one accepts that, all these semiotic contrivances become easily
 > seen for the nonsense they are.
 > 

Actually I've been finding it very practical (at least working in an
intranet environment). Of course you're right - people do need to sort
out context, but they also need to be able to do this on a large scale.

For example, we have a few knowledge-bases at work which we use to
smush data together based on the job we need to get done.  In some
contexts, a http://databaseteam/Server means the same as a
http://unixteam/Server, and in some contexts it doesnt.

The trick is to give the people tools to make these contextual merging
decisions based on the job in hand (and the error level they are able
to tolerate). In this sort of job, owl gimmicks rule!  (tenuous pun
intended ;-)

Cheers,

Phil