PROV-ISSUE-509: Data Model Figure 5 [prov-dm]

PROV-ISSUE-509: Data Model Figure 5   [prov-dm]

http://www.w3.org/2011/prov/track/issues/509

Raised by: Luc Moreau
On product: prov-dm



http://www.w3.org/2011/prov/wiki/LC_Feedback#Data_Model_Figure_5

ISSUE-463


The figure is a little cluttered. Since Time is a primitive datatype and not an object, it could be removed for clarity. Other datatypes are not shown.

The headers of the supporting text in section 5.1 are different than the labels in the figure, so the reader must use table 5 as a cross reference when going between them. Some translations are straightforward, but for readers that are new to PROV it is not obvious that wasInformedBy means Communication (for example).

When modeling complex relationships that have mandatory and optional attributes, class associations are a good approach to use. The current version of the spec does not fully model the relationships, however. Each of the gray classes in figure 5 could be modeled as a complete class that follows the requirements of the relationship. For example, the class wasGeneratedBy currently shows only two attributes, although the spec for Generation lists five (four of which are optional, and one of which can be zero to many). All of this information can be represented very concisely in the diagram, which would make it easier for a reader to get a complete view of the spec graphically.

Received on Monday, 10 September 2012 08:40:04 UTC