Re: Linked Data Demand & Discussion Culture on this List, WAS: Introducing Semgel, a semantic database app for gathering & analyzing data from websites

Hi Dave,

comments inline. :)

Am 20.07.2012 um 23:25 schrieb Dave Reynolds:

> Hi Sebastian,
> 
> I completely agree with what you say about:
>  o Harish's original post being relevant to linked data and this list
>  o that the culture of this forum can be counter productive
>  o that the evidence for linked data delivering business value needs
>    to be a lot stronger
> 
> However, just to balance the picture slightly ...
> 
> There are *some* clear, well documented examples of semweb/RDF/LD delivering business value through data integration. The most famous of these being probably: Garlik (now Experian), Amdocs and arguably the BBC. In my experience for every publicised example there are several non-public or at least less visible examples of companies quietly using the technology internally while not shouting about it. I've come across examples in banking, publishing, travel and health care - at different levels of maturity.

Yes, for me these are all great results. However, the problem for me is convincing other industries, and the toughest question I am always faced with is "and why could I not solve the issue with established technology XYZ, which my engineers already know?". As long as we cannot answer this question, it will not be easy.


> 
> Not saying the business value story is perfectly articulated or the evidence is watertight, but it's not totally absent :)
> 
> While it's not your main point, I would also say we have reasonable arguments for the value of linked data over just CSVs for publishing government statistics and measurement data. The benefits include safer use of data because it's self-describing (e.g. units!), ability to slice and dice through API calls making it easier to build apps, ability to address the data and thus annotate it and reference it. The more advanced government departments approach this as "publish once, use many". One pipeline that lets people access the data as dumps, through REST APIs, as Linked Data or via apps - all powered by a shared Linked Data infra-structure. It's not CSV or Linked Data it's CSV *and* Linked Data.

Yes. It was actually not really an argument from my side, I just wanted to point out the kind of discussions I face with people out there. I totally agree with what you say.

Greetings,

Sebastian
-- 
| Dr. Sebastian Schaffert          sebastian.schaffert@salzburgresearch.at
| Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft  http://www.salzburgresearch.at
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