Re: new version of rdf:O)-> document

From: Dave Reynolds <der@hplb.hpl.hp.com>
Subject: Re: new version of rdf:O)-> document
Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 06:04:52 -0500

> Peter F.Patel-Schneider wrote:
>> http://www.w3.org/2007/OWL/wiki/InternationalizedStringSpec
>> now has my edits with the changes from Pat/Jonathan?
>> and the extra sentence from Andy.
>> All edits have descriptions in the history page so you can see how the
>> document has evolved. 
>> 
>> Please take a look and see if you like it, taking into account the
>> continuing discussion on how exactly to best handle SPARQL.
> 
> (1) The introduction section states:
> 
> "This branching approach to the design for RDF literals complicates the 
> specifications based on RDF, such as RIF and OWL."
> 
> This is not correct, RIF is not "based on RDF", the motivation for 
> rdf:text (sorry, rdf:PlainLiteral) in RIF is not as stated here.

This is from a later change, and not part of my changes.

> (2) The introduction goes on to state that it "does not change the 
> conceptual model of RDF". This is also not correct.
> 
> At present an API working over RDF which is asked for the datatype of a 
> plain literal should return the programming equivalent of "there isn't 
> one". After the spec such an API should return "rdf:PlainLiteral". 

I am not aware that anything that I have proposed would require this
change - plain literals are still plain literals, after all - so I
maintain that the conceptual model of RDF is not changed.  There are
still plain literals and datatyped literals.  Software that does not
understand rdf:O)-> can proceed largely as before.

Yes, this introduces a potential complication for software that wants to
use rdf:O)->.  Yes, I don't think that this is a great situation to end
up in.  However, the desire to protect existing software does have
consequences.  

> It 
> may not affect other specs, it may not affect the RDF that is exchanged 
> but it *is* a change to the "conceptual model".

> Dave

peter

Received on Friday, 29 May 2009 12:09:05 UTC