Re: What is the SIOC-o-sphere?

Wing C Yung wrote:
> I think that it's great that we have some SIOC producers; it's definitely
> the first step towards *enabling* a potential "killer app" for the Semantic
> Web. Having the data as RDF is necessary but not sufficient to convince
> people of the benefits. The "killer app" is going to be a consumer of data
> (like a SW-enabled feed aggregator/reader that does something compelling
> with the data), not the data itself. Right now, are there other consumers
> besides the one [1] listed on the SIOC page?
> 
> [1]
> http://sparql.captsolo.net/browser/browser.py?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.johnbreslin.com%2Fblog%2Findex.php%3Fsioc_type%3Dpost%26sioc_id%3D462
> 
> Wing
> 

It depends on the community, of course, but generally I concur.

Let me tell you about ne specific experience I had (Karen was there,
too, she probably remembers). We, ie, some team people from W3C, had a
meeting with a whole group of *technical* people (not manager types)
from Merck. It was a very long meeting; it included a presentation on
Piggy Bank, some discussion with Tim, and a very long
presentation/discussion led by me. Actually, it was quite successful;
Merck joined W3C and are now active participants of the HCLS IG.

As part of the presentation I also used the tabulator to show the power
of merging/integrating data. Without entering into details, it used all
kinds of data spread around on W3C site and elswhere on various
technical documents, their translations, the persons involved and their
data, etc. Sure, the tabulator does not have the smoothest interface,
but the point could get across.

After the presentation, the leader of the Merck delegation (a very
friendly chap whom I knew because he had been at my tutorial in
Edinburgh earlier that year) came to me and said privately: that type of
demonstration does not work for them. It is way too geeky, it is way too
much the 'same story' that they hear, but it does not really show what
this technology can do for *them*. What made them move is the
realization of using their data in their databases, integrate those,
combined with their own real problems that they encounter.

To avoid misunderstandings: SIOC is a great stuff (I have the radar
running on my Firefox:-). That is not the point. The point is that for
*corporate developers* we need specific use cases in their own
environments and settings, using *their* language. If we have a real
example (should be more!) on how data integration solves a specific
development problem within an entreprise (even if this is not their
specific area of business) *then* they will listen. Something that I
have been telling for some time: we desperately need *those* use cases.
With all my due respect (I mean it!) for the blogosphere, the Web2.0
buzz, etc, I am not sure *that* will be the decisive factor to look at
the Semantic Web for the Boeings, Mercks, DaimlerBenz-s, Shells, etc, of
this World...

Just my to pence. Well: the reason why I think it is imperative for the
SWEO group to collect those use cases. In my view, we desperately need
those industrial use cases (personally, I believe, more than anything
else!) to help the Semantic Web moving forward.

Apologies for the long mail...

Cheers

Ivan

P.S. The HCLS IG will produce some documents soon on how these
technologies can be used in their settings, by the way. And a bigger
demo should be around by May. Is the correct, Susie?



-- 

Ivan Herman, W3C Semantic Web Activity Lead
URL: http://www.w3.org/People/Ivan/
PGP Key: http://www.cwi.nl/%7Eivan/AboutMe/pgpkey.html
FOAF: http://www.ivan-herman.net/foaf.rdf