Re: Enterprise information system

On Wed, 2015-02-25 at 22:06 +0000, Hugh Glaser wrote: 
> So, here’s a thing.
> 
> Usually you talk to a company about introducing Linked Data technologies to their existing IT infrastructure, emphasising that you can add stuff to work with existing systems (low risk, low cost etc.) to improve all sorts of stuff (silo breakdown, comprehensive dashboards, etc..)
> 
> But what if you start from scratch?

What a great question!

I've built a career around using open standards to compensate for the
inadequacies of heavy iron, then big-box enterprise software. It's
helpful when you're a crusader to have real dragons to slay.

Occasionally I've wondered what a dragonless system would look like, and
how you would build one. I don't know, and I'm mildly thankful I've
never been challenged to build one.

Truth is, I don't think linked data technologies are quite up to it, but
I can't itemize the deficiencies. To be sure, useful ICT in the future
enterprise will rely heavily on XML, RDF, and HTTP (or something like
them). But I don't see any initiative to really bend those technologies
toward the ultimate goal of augmenting human mental
functions--particularly within the enterprise--as envisioned by some of
the pioneer thinkers of distributed computing. Doug Engelbart often
spoke of the power of computers to "augment" organizational functions.
"Automation" is not "augmentation", nor is AI. 

I don't know that many "linked data" systems improve much on
conventional ones. We have enough of data and linking. What we need to
link are the artifacts of mental processes, which are not so easily
reduced to "data". That is the real promise of these technologies, but
is not, so far as I am aware, being pursued anywhere in public.

Note, however, the recent release of Linked Data Platform as a W3C
standard (http://www.w3.org/TR/2015/REC-ldp-20150226/). No doubt this
will be useful in its own right, but also point the way to future
opportunities by what it *doesn't* cover.

Regards,
--Paul

> 
> So, the company wants to base all its stuff around Linked Data technologies, starting with information about employees, what they did and are doing, projects, etc., and moving on to embrace the whole gamut.
> (Sort of like a typical personnel management core, plus a load of other related DBs.)
> 
> Let’s say for an organisation of a few thousand, roughly none of whom are technical, of course.
> 
> It’s a pretty standard thing to need, and gives great value. Is there a
>  solution out of the box for all the data capture from individuals, and
>  reports, queries, etc.? Or would they end up with a team of developers
>  having to build bespoke things? Or, heaven forfend!, would they end up
>  using conventional methods for all the interface management, and then
>  have the usual LD extra system?
> 
> 
> Any thoughts?
>

Received on Friday, 27 February 2015 21:20:29 UTC