Re: Semantic Bridge Project / Best Practice Recipes for Publishing RDF Vocabularies

Ivan,

Thx again for your guidance and support.

Things are very intense right now, but in a good way.  We have just 
completed our grant application to the National Science Foundation for 
their support in the creation of the Semantic Ontology Repository.  We 
have at least one expression of support from a major corporate player 
for the non-profit foundation that will manage the repository; two other 
corporations are in an evaluation process (hopefully more will follow).  
We have begun the dance with the venture capitalists for investments in 
Semantic Bridge Technologies (not a fun process, but perhaps necessary); 
ideally, we would like to find a single angel investor.

Like most startups, we are temporarily in a cash flow crunch, so 
spending the $6,350 to join the W3C is a few weeks away.  Would it be 
possible to join the Semantic Web Deployment Working Group as an 
“invited expert” (http://www.w3.org/2004/08/invexp.html) or at least be 
able to join the private mailing list for the group?

We are definitely interested in helping this working group answer, 
“Questions such as how in practice to use OWL to achieve semantic 
integration across different agents, services, and applications; how to 
identify multiple versions of a vocabulary; how to manage the contents 
of the namespace document(s), and more.”  The document, “First 
Principles of Good Practice for Managing RDF Schemas and OWL Ontologies 
Working Draft”, is also of great interest.

Beyond the mechanics of managing RDF Schemas and OWL Ontologies, we 
envision an Ontology Management Framework that will be a template for an 
organic self-regulating system.  The working units of this system will 
be collaborative virtual ontology groups.  Parliamentary rules will be 
established for resolving disputes within these groups.  There will be a 
network of semantic repositories built on this framework; one main 
repository that will act as the “central library.”

The creation of a dynamic and interactive, “Semantic Ontology 
Repository” network, along with the tools that will allow web designers 
and software engineers to easily interact with this network will have a 
profound impact on the rapid deployment of the Semantic Web and the 
deployment of “Intelligent Web Services”.

There are significant data structure issues that need to be resolved for 
an efficient ontology management system to be created. I am surprised 
the major players (Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, MySql, etc.) are not 
represented in this group. 

We recognize the creation of a worldwide ontology management system is a 
grandiose vision.  Thankfully, the initial reaction of most people has 
been, “Wow, this is really cool!”, and not, “Wow, this is really 
stupid.”  If this system is to succeed it must be based on fair and 
objective standards.  We look forward to working with the W3C to create 
those standards.

Sincerely,

Mike Duffy
CEO / CTO
Semantic Bridge Technologies
mduffy@austin.rr.com
http://www.semanticbridgetechnologies.com



Ivan Herman wrote:
> Mike,
>
> sorry for the delayed answer. See below
>
> Mike Duffy wrote:
>   
>> We are very interested in the publication, Best Practice Recipes for
>> Publishing RDF Vocabularies.
>> http://www.w3.org/TR/2006/WD-swbp-vocab-pub-20060314/
>>
>> This publication is still listed as a "working draft" and was last
>> updated on 14 March 2006.
>>
>> We would like to help expand this document into a specification for an
>> ontology management framework.
>>
>>     
>
> The Working Group you refer to does not exist any more. There is a, sort
> of, new incarnation of part of that group, namely the Semantic Web
> Deployment group:
>
> http://www.w3.org/2006/07/SWD/
>
> You copied this mail to Alistair and Ralph, both are members of this
> group. I also copy this mail to Guus Schreiber and Thomas Baker, the two
> co-chairs of this group.
>
> Currently the group does have difficulties finding the right resources
> to continue this work, though it is on its charter. If you think you can
> contribute, I would urge you to think about joining W3C and then join
> the group; I am sure your energy would be welcome there!
>
> Sincerely
>
> Ivan
>
>
>

Received on Thursday, 14 June 2007 19:48:17 UTC