Re: Collection of Comments re. RDF/XML

Kingsley Idehen wrote:
> 
> All,
> 
> As I said during the SWEO meeting earlier today, RDF/XML the
> "Serialization Format" is too often intermingled with RDF the "Data
> Model". It is extremely important that we make separation of the
> "Serialization Format" and actual "Data Model" the cornerstone of
> improved clarity about the constituent parts of the Semantic Web vision.
> 
> The Semantic Web (as I see it) will be comprised of Physical & Virtual
> Graphs. The Physical Graphs (typically for import, export, or basic
> syndication gem purposes etc.) will be in the form of: RDF/XML,
> N3/Turtle, or anything else. Thus, we cannot have RDF/XML dominate
> discussion about the RDF Data Model in general. An example this problem
> is illustrated via the current the Semantic "Stack Cake" Diagram
> <http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/diagrams/sweb-stack/2006a.png>.
>

About this layercake: there has been a long discussion on the layercake
diagram on the Semantic Web Coordination group some months ago. It was
initiated by the fact that the way the Rules work is in the stack is not
really in line with their lines. After discussions, here are two
versions that we ended up with:

http://www.w3.org/2006/07/layerCake-2.png
http://www.w3.org/2006/07/layerCake-4.png

I think the second is closer to the rules people's work and mindset

> I will provide a URI for an enhancement to the current "Stack Cake" that
> attempts to diffuse the aforementioned RDF/XML  issue.
> 

As said: this work has already been done, and I think it reflects those
issues as well...

Ivan


> With regards to the broader RDF/XML frustrations from the Web Community
> in general, here are a few links that typify general thinking about
> RDF/XML confusion:
> 
> 1. Norman Walsh: http://norman.walsh.name/2004/07/30/rdfxml
> 2. Stefano's attempt to clarify the same matter:
> http://www.betaversion.org/~stefano/linotype/news/57/
> 
> BTW - This doc <http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/RDF-XML.html> speaks
> volumes about the matter at hand (the kicker is right at the end of the
> page :-) ).
> 
> The Web 2.0 community is dominated (thought leadership wise) by XML
> partisans (people that like to scrape and manipulate TEXT from an array
> of sources, the only thing that matters to these individuals is data in
> TEXT format and the Structure of the container. "Meaning" and "Context"
> (Semantic Web essence) aren't that important to this mind-set (this is
> why they Mash rather than Mesh Data). Note, XML's heritage (i.e. SGML )
> also provides clues to the orientation of most XML practitioners  i.e. 
> publishers and journalists rather than Data & Information Architects.
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Kingsley Idehen          Weblog: http://www.openlinksw.com/blog/~kidehen
> President & CEO OpenLink Software     Web: http://www.openlinksw.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

-- 

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