Re: [data-model] Proposed Abstract for Web Annotation Data Model Spec

Hi, Ray–

On 11/13/14 10:38 AM, Denenberg, Ray wrote:
>
> I don't want to get too hung up on the first sentence of an
> abstract.
>
> However, comparing;
>
> · Mine: “An Annotation asserts information about a resource”
>
> · Yours: "An annotation is a piece of information attached to
> a document or other resource"
>
> I like yours as much as mine, maybe better …. except for the fact
> that it isn’t accurate.
>
> If X is “about”  Y, X is not the annotation.  The annotation is a
> (third) resource which asserts that X is about Y.

I don't agree.

I know other people who agree with your concept of what an annotation 
is, but I don't think that's a useful level of abstraction.

To me, and I suspect to most other people, the thing that distinguishes 
an annotation from a primary resources is that it contains not only 
content, but the link that asserts that that content pertains to another 
resource.

In other words, it is both the vehicle and the payload.

I think this is borne out in the data model. An annotation contains one 
or more target links and selectors, and one (zero?) or more bodies.

Obviously, you can make an annotation that simply links two targets 
without making an explicit statement about them or their relation, but 
that's the degenerate (and less common) case.

So, I'd suggest that if X is “about”  Y, (X + the "about" assertion) is 
the annotation.

What do others think?


> How to capture
> that in the first sentence of an abstract without blowing the  mind
> of a someone reading the abstract just trying to decide whether
> annotations are of interest, is admittedly difficult.   But I think,
> while the two are probably equally helpful, mine is more accurate.

Respectfully, I think yours definition is reasonably accurate, but 
abstruse; it would be difficult for the average reader who's not versed 
in the jargon of semweb (or similar disciplines) to unpack.

I don't really care about my definition per se; I do care about the 
abstract being both accurate and in plain English.

Regards-
-Doug

Received on Thursday, 13 November 2014 21:30:19 UTC