Re: Relationship of dcat:Dataset and void:Dataset

When we were considering this in the Health Care and Life Sciences Community Profile [1] we took the view that the RDF representation was one of several possible distributions for a dataset and that it would be incorrect to associate that distribution information with the notion of the dataset itself. That is, we took the first approach proposed by John.

We specifically did this as not all HCLS datasets are made available in RDF and we did not want to make incorrect inferences.

Best regards,

Alasdair

[1] https://www.w3.org/TR/hcls-dataset/


On 14 Mar 2017, at 14:18, John Erickson <olyerickson@gmail.com<mailto:olyerickson@gmail.com>> wrote:

John makes a great argument for the second approach. That is how we
tend to think of it.

As with most DCAT-related questions, start with "DCAT is like 'Dublin
Core' for datasets." In other words, general purpose, good for
starters, accommodates refinements...

John

On Tue, Mar 14, 2017 at 9:59 AM, John Walker <john.walker@semaku.com<mailto:john.walker@semaku.com>> wrote:
Hello,



Following discussion with colleagues, I would like to ask for opinions on
semantics of dcat:Dataset and void:Dataset.



We have two points of view.



First, the RDF version of a dcat:Dataset is a dcat:distribution of that
dataset and is itself a void:Dataset.

That could be represented as follows:



<my-dataset> a dcat:Dataset ;

 dcat:distribution <my-rdf-dataset> ;

 .

<my-rdf-dataset> a dcat:Distribution , void:Dataset ;

 void:sparqlEndpoint <sparql> ;

void:dataDump <my-dataset.rdf>, <my-dataset.ttl> ;

 .



Secondly that a dcat:Dataset that is available as RDF (and possibly other
forms) is also a void:Dataset.

Or to put it another way: void:Dataset rdfs:subClassOf dcat:Dataset.

That could be represented as follows:



<my-dataset> a dcat:Dataset, void:Dataset ;

 dcat:distribution <my-sparql-distribution>, <my-rdfxml-distribution>,
<my-turtle-distribution>;

 void:sparqlEndpoint <sparql> ;

 void:dataDump <my-dataset.rdf>, <my-dataset.ttl> ;

 .

<my-sparql-distribution> a dcat:Distribution ;

 dcat:accessURL <sparql> ;

 .

<my-rdfxml-distribution> a dcat:Distribution ;

 dcat:downloadURL <my-dataset.rdf> ;

 dcat:mediaType "application/rdf+xml"

 .

<my-turtle-distribution> a dcat:Distribution ;

 dcat:downloadURL <my-dataset.ttl> ;

 dcat:mediaType "text/turtle"

 .



I’m trying to keep an open mind, but leaning towards the second method as
thinking of the SPARQL endpoint, dumps and crawlable linked data (plus other
forms such as an API or WFS endpoint) as different distributions of the same
dataset seems to fit better with the spirit of DCAT (at least to my
interpretation of the recommendation).



Thoughts welcome!



Regards,

John



--
John S. Erickson, Ph.D.
Director of Operations, The Rensselaer IDEA
Deputy Director, Web Science Research Center (RPI)
<http://idea.rpi.edu/> <olyerickson@gmail.com<mailto:olyerickson@gmail.com>>
Twitter & Skype: olyerickson


Alasdair J G Gray
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Assistant Professor in Computer Science,
School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences
(Athena SWAN Bronze Award)
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh UK.

Email: A.J.G.Gray@hw.ac.uk<mailto:A.J.G.Gray@hw.ac.uk>
Web: http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~ajg33

ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5711-4872

Office: Earl Mountbatten Building 1.39
Twitter: @gray_alasdair










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