Graphs, some quick comments

(just dropped these in #swig, copying here)

RDF is defined/constrained by it's serializations currently, so anything 
in the model/abstract is in the serializations, so when we discuss 
things like multiple graphs, graph literals, named graphs, it's done in 
terms of syntax, when really there is hardly ever a case where you need 
multiple graphs in the syntax, other than when dumping stores or sets of 
data, and that ain't RDF.

however, behind the interface you need this stuff all the time, but not 
over the wire, and RDF doesn't handle that.

so, perhaps a higher problem is: RDF is defined in terms of on the wire 
needs, but RDF is used as a data model for working with data behind the 
interface, and the two have different requirements.

if you look at the RDF Graph usecases on the wiki, you'll notice that 
most of them are about managing or working with data, and people are 
using the syntax of trig or quads to say what they mean - but only the 
dumping stores cases actually /require/ having anything in the 
serialization.

Best,

Nathan

Received on Thursday, 21 April 2011 15:53:52 UTC