PROV-ISSUE-499: Data Model Section 2.1.1, semantics [prov-dm]

PROV-ISSUE-499: Data Model Section 2.1.1, semantics   [prov-dm]

http://www.w3.org/2011/prov/track/issues/499

Raised by: Luc Moreau
On product: prov-dm



http://www.w3.org/2011/prov/wiki/LC_Feedback#Data_Model_Section_2.1.1.2C_semantics

ISSUE-463

There seems to be significant semantic conflicts in the definitions of a few terms: - Activity: "something that occurs over a period of time … may include … using or generating entities" - Generation: "the completion of production" - Usage: "the beginning of utilizing"

Based on the definition for Activity, usage and generation appear to be activities, but the separate definitions for those terms clearly indicate they are discrete points in time (at the beginning or end of an activity) and are not activities themselves. This is further confused by Figure 1 and Table 2, which list usage and generation as relations and not timepoints.

It is not clear why it is necessary to define terms for discrete points in time within the PROV model. If activities already have start and end times, isn't that sufficient?

If these distinctions are important, I would recommend using different terms in the definitions and examples to break the circularity between them.


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Received on Monday, 10 September 2012 08:32:31 UTC