Re: Hosting Linked Data using PURL.org

Hi Luca,

The PURL service at purl.org was re-architected in 2009 to support a number of features relevant to Linked Data.  Another one of them was the introduction of additional PURL types, including a 303 redirect to support that Linked Data pattern [1].

The source code used by OCLC to operate purl.org is Open Source and available under an Apache 2 license at [2].  However, it is rapidly being deprecated as PURL support enters the Callimachus Project [3].  Relevant to your post is the fact that the only type of PURL Callimachus does not currently support is the partial PURL.  Partial PURL support should enter Callimachus in the next few months.

Callimachus implements another new type of PURL relevant to Linked Data:  The "proxy" or "copy" PURL [4].  This type of PURL is especially suited to hosting, combining or otherwise applying computation to PURLs upon resolution.

I know of several organizations that use the PURL software (either purlz or Callimachus) to host, access or redirect to Linked Data.  Most of them operate their own services, though, instead of using purl.org.  Remember that purl.org's mission is to host PURLs for the library community, not the Linked Data community.

Further discussion about PURLs in general takes place at [5] if you are interested.

Regards,
Dave
--
http://about.me/david_wood

[1] http://purl.org/docs/help.html#overview
[2] http://purlz.org
[3] http://callimachusproject.org
[4] http://callimachusproject.org/docs/1.1/callimachus-for-web-developers.docbook?view#Types_of_PURLs
[5] https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/persistenturls

On Jul 16, 2013, at 12:50, Luca Matteis <lmatteis@gmail.com> wrote:

> I was wondering what the community thought about using http://purl.org to actually host Linked Data. I know using PURL is common for hosting *vocabularies*, but what about actual data?
> 
> PURL provides what they call "partial-redirects" [1] which allow you to use URIs such as http://purl.org/foo/<number> and be able to accordingly redirect to your Linked Data resource.
> 
> It seems logical to me that also data, apart from vocabularies, should pass the test of time, and using PURL is a way to help that. Are there any best-practices regarding this?
> 
> Thank you,
> Luca
> 
> 1. http://purl.org/docs/help.html#purladvcreate