Free-text search and SPARQL New Features and Rationale draft

Dear all,

 

I really like the SPARQL New Features draft as it outlines many very useful
and down to earth features that were missing in the first version of the
language.

 

One question about

http://www.w3.org/TR/2009/WD-sparql-features-20090702/#Commonly_used_functio
ns

 

How are the chances that one of these functions will be free-text search?

 

Most web-applications today use some kind of free-text search; most facet
browsers as well as most (all?) Semantic Web search engines use free-text
search to enable the user to specify starting points for further navigation.

 

Many SPARQL stores already implement free-text indexing.

 

Today, people have to use dirty hacks like FILTER regex(?label, "%word1%")
to emulate free text search.

 

I therefore think that it would be great if you would foster the
interoperability between SPARQL stores by  including free-text search into
the spec.

 

Kind regards,

 

Chris