Re: Question about the On Linking Alternative Representations TAG Finding

No question that we need to carefully distinguish identity from
representation. My only point was that the resource vs
representation vocabulary clash may now be too late to fix,
partly because both start with 'R', which appears as the middle
letter of the popular acronym  
that is written URIand often confused with URL (use right font/
put on appropriate glasses to equate the twaine which is what the
Web has done;-)

I actually like David Booth's use of the term "variance" in this
context, and if I could rewrite history, I might have perhaps
chosen the term "variance" instead of "representation".
Kingsley Idehen writes:
 > T.V Raman wrote:
 > > but we already live in a muddled Web, where this distinction has
 > > been all but erased by the various bizarre uses seen on the
 > > Web. I personally dont see any value on insisting on the
 > > difference any more.
 > >   
 > Raman,
 > 
 > We are absolutely dead in the water if we cannot distinguish identity 
 > from representation via URIs -)
 > 
 > Web User can't, and/or will not make, the distinction, but they aren't 
 > the architects of the Web.
 > 
 > We have to fashion architecture dexterous enough  for unobtrusive tweaks 
 > that bubble up to the Web User space.
 > 
 > Linked Data's use of derferencable URIs is a good example of an 
 > unobtrusive tweak that provides a substrate for Web enhancement without 
 > changing Web User behavior i.e., Users continue to use the Web in 
 > bizarre ways without adversely affecting it's essence (a mesh of 
 > interlnked data that extends beyond information resource containers).
 > 
 > Kingsley
 > > Booth, David (HP Software - Boston) writes:
 > >  > 
 > >  > > From: T.V Raman [mailto:raman@google.com]
 > >  > >
 > >  > > I think splitting hairs between resource
 > >  > > and representation only works "so far".
 > >  > 
 > >  > The distinction between "representation" and "resource" is not splitting hairs, it is fundamental: they are different *roles* in the architecture.  Since anything can be a resource, a particular representation (returned in respnose to a particular request at a particular time) *could* also be considered a resource, but that just means that that particular representation can play both roles.  It does not mean that the distinction between the representation and resource is unimportant.
 > >  > 
 > >  > A representation is what you get *from* a resource -- in particular an information resource -- when you ask for one (such as by HTTP GET).
 > >  > 
 > >  > I think it's important be careful in the use of these terms, because using them incorrectly tends to cause muddled discussion and confusion.
 > >  > 
 > >  > 
 > >  > 
 > >  > 
 > >  > David Booth, Ph.D.
 > >  > HP Software
 > >  > +1 617 629 8881 office  |  dbooth@hp.com
 > >  > http://www.hp.com/go/software
 > >  > 
 > >  > Statements made herein represent the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of HP unless explicitly so stated.
 > >
 > >   
 > 
 > 
 > -- 
 > 
 > 
 > Regards,
 > 
 > Kingsley Idehen	      Weblog: http://www.openlinksw.com/blog/~kidehen
 > President & CEO 
 > OpenLink Software     Web: http://www.openlinksw.com
 > 
 > 
 > 

-- 
Best Regards,
--raman

Title:  Research Scientist      
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Received on Wednesday, 6 August 2008 19:14:12 UTC