Re: PUBLINK Linked Data Consultancy

On 07/10/2010 11:58, "Hugh Glaser" <hg@ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:

> Clearly this is an exciting thing to be doing, but I couldn't let Sören's
> comments go :-)
> 
> On 07/10/2010 08:57, "Dave Reynolds" <dave.e.reynolds@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> On Thu, 2010-10-07 at 01:38 +0200, Sören Auer wrote:
>>> On 07.10.2010 1:13, Georgi Kobilarov wrote:
>>>> So, now the EU also takes that burden off the small linked data
>>>> consultancies and businesses.
>>> 
>>> Not at all! PUBLINK is not aimed at organizations which already
>>> precisely know what they want and are willing to pay for it.
> Er, if you know of an organisation that knows precisely what they want in
> Linked Data, please tell.

[silence] :-)

>>> 
>>> It is more aimed at people in organizations who want to persuade their
>>> decision makers or decision makers who need more information or a
>>> showcase in order to get ultimately involved.
> That quite neatly describes every organisation on any new technology, and
> certainly every one I have spoken to about Linked Data.

I agree but think there are arguments before you even get to linked data:
- why should we make our data available at all in any format
- if we do make it available can we still control use (separate api, api
key, rate limiting etc)

Once those are out of the way there's no greater problem making rdf than
there is any other representation. The only barrier is the ontologification
of the (hopefully semi-sane) data model you already have

But there is help available for that. If this project is about helping
organisations to data model or write ontologies or write and deploy actual
code then I think it is stepping on commercial toes
>>> 
>>> Insofar PUBLINK rather clears the way for commercial linked data service
>>> providers.

By doing what? Which bits does publink do and which bits are left to the
commercial sector?

>From the lines above it aims to help "people in organizations who want to
persuade their decision makers" or persuade decision makers in general with
demos

Personally I think if that's the intention it's good. I know where to find
help with data modelling, hosting, data consolidation, existing ontologies,
content negotiation etc etc. But I don't know where to go for help
translating developer understanding to business understanding

Seeing companies who provide api services (api keys, rate limits etc)
operate I can see they understand how to translate the usual "businesses
didn't used to publish prices you know" stuff into language that business
types understand. I don't know where to look for that kind of advice in
linked data that doesn't speak at a technical / academic level. Basically
feels like we're missing some marketing

If publink can fill that gap and leave help with implementation to the
commercial sector I think that would be good. Unless that help already
exists in the commercial sector and I've just missed it
>> 
>> But is not working with any breadth of such providers.
>> 
>> I share Georgi's reservations, seems like an odd direction for EU
>> framework projects to take.
> Not unusual in direction, of course, but usually there is more of a
> financial or externally reviewed contribution from the user organisation.
> I too was slightly surprised at the announcement, and thought "that's
> unusual". Seems like the EU is simply funding some companies to do what they
> they have to do for their main business.
> I think the question is whether this is pre-competitive: maybe, but only
> just. There are quite a few companies for whom this is exactly what they do
> (including project partners).

If there's any that specialise in translating for "business decision makers"
a list would be cool :-)
> (I may be out of date about Framework needing to be pre-competitive?)
> 
> Of course it makes perfect sense from the projects' point of view, which is
> clearly trying to generate new knowledge/technologies as required, and is a
> very interesting way of presenting what they want.

But if it's about that is it really about influencing and dare I say
marketing? 
> Looking for partners to work with to hone your processes and technologies in
> Linked Data, and grow the community (both of which we all want), you want to
> tell the possible customers that this is a well-polished field, not that
> they are being invited to engage in pre-competitive R&D.
> 
> So a great initiative for the community, but it does look strange as
> presented. But it is only max 5 across Europe.

And there is that :-)
> 
> Best
> Hugh
>> 
>> Dave
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 


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Received on Thursday, 7 October 2010 12:14:23 UTC