Re: Low level API

In message <6.0.0.22.2.20040511155617.01c6c768@pop.skynet.be> on Tue, 11 
May 2004, Ron Davies <ron@rondavies.be> wrote
>The SKOS API appears to me to be pitched at a very low level. What I 
>mean is that the client has to do a great deal of work, and send out 
>many atomic requests to be able to do certain kinds of required tasks, 
>e.g. build a useful hierarchical display format to allow an end user to 
>browse a thesaurus. Hierarchical displays are used in a wide number of 
>thesauri of different styles.

I agree with Ron, though I would be interested to know the views of the 
folk closer to the mechanics of how this would work. Perhaps there is a 
difference depending on whether you are retrieving a display for a human 
to look at or specific terms for a machine to use.

It would certainly seem more efficient for a server to return a complete 
hierarchy in response to a single request; most standard thesaurus 
management software can display such hierarchies, constructing them when 
needed by following the chain of BT/NT links.

I don't think that it should be necessary to store "level" information 
to achieve this, and indeed I think that doing so would complicate 
matters, because if a concept is inserted to create a new level of 
grouping then the "levels" of all the subordinate concepts would change.

Leonard Will
-- 
Willpower Information       (Partners: Dr Leonard D Will, Sheena E Will)
Information Management Consultants              Tel: +44 (0)20 8372 0092
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Received on Tuesday, 11 May 2004 11:02:56 UTC