Re: [OEP] n-ary relations and topic maps

* Alan Rector
|
| [detecting n-ary relations for correct conversion to TM associations]
|
| I think this issue is more general than Topic Maps.  In both OWL and
| RDF, the question is whether there should be a set of annotations to
| indicate that a particular set of constructs is actually part of a
| larger pattern.  The n-ary relation case is most obvious because
| other representations support n-ary relations natively.  Users
| consistently ask to see ontologies at a higher level of abstraction.
| That's part of what patterns were about.  To achieve this, we need
| annotations to indicate the patterns.

I was really only thinking in terms of the RDFTM work myself, but to
see this in a wider context does make a lot of sense to me. Especially
since it would be good if RDF->TM interoperability could rely on
mechanisms used for purposes other than just RDF->TM interoperability,
but I would also think that, as you say, the information necessary to
do this conversion correctly is interesting even if you don't intend
to use topic maps.

| Would a sensible procedure be to seek to establish a namespace
| suggestion for such annotation properties?  Is there any mechanism
| for doing so?

I don't feel familiar enough with the SWBP landscape to answer that.

-- 
Lars Marius Garshol, Ontopian         <URL: http://www.ontopia.net >
GSM: +47 98 21 55 50                  <URL: http://www.garshol.priv.no >

Received on Tuesday, 14 December 2004 15:42:14 UTC