feedback sought: using owl:imports

Dear group,

Ref: <http://www.w3.org/TR/owl-ref/#imports-def>

There is a request to use the owl:imports statement in the RDF files of 
the different EARL specifications. According to the OWL specification, 
the owl:imports statement is defined as follows:

  - "An owl:imports statement references another OWL ontology containing 
definitions, whose meaning is considered to be part of the meaning of 
the importing ontology."

We have the following scenarios, please indicate your preference to help 
move this discussion along:

# Scenario A:
  - do not adopt owl:imports (currently the EARL 1.0 Schema RDF is using 
rdfs:seeAlso which expresses a relationship between two ontologies)

# Scenario B:
  - EARL 1.0 Schema imports HTTP-in-RDF, Content-in-RDF, and Pointers-in-RDF

# Scenario C:
  - EARL 1.0 Schema adopts HTTP-in-RDF, and Pointers-in-RDF
  - HTTP-in-RDF imports Content-in-RDF

# Scenario D:
  - EARL 1.0 Schema imports HTTP-in-RDF, Content-in-RDF, 
Pointers-in-RDF, DC, and FOAF

# Scenario E:
  - EARL 1.0 Schema imports HTTP-in-RDF, Content-in-RDF, 
Pointers-in-RDF, DC, and FOAF
  - HTTP-in-RDF imports Content-in-RDF, DC, and FOAF
  - Content-in-RDF imports DC and FOAF
  - Pointers-in-RDF imports DC and FOAF

# Scenario F:
  - EARL 1.0 Schema adopts HTTP-in-RDF, Pointers-in-RDF, DC, and FOAF
  - HTTP-in-RDF imports Content-in-RDF, DC, and FOAF
  - Content-in-RDF imports DC and FOAF
  - Pointers-in-RDF imports DC and FOAF


Note 1: there was a remark on one of the calls about importing back, for 
instance that HTTP-in-RDF should import EARL 1.0 Schema. However, the 
OWL specification specifically points out that this would mean that 
HTTP-in-RDF and EARL 1.0 Schema are *equivalent*.

Note 2: the OWL specification points out that an imported ontology is 
part of the *meaning* of the importing ontology, which would make DC and 
FOAF directly part of EARL in scenarios D-F.


Please send your thoughts to the list to minimize telconference 
discussion time.


Regards,
   Shadi

-- 
Shadi Abou-Zahra - http://www.w3.org/People/shadi/ |
   WAI International Program Office Activity Lead   |
  W3C Evaluation & Repair Tools Working Group Chair |

Received on Monday, 29 June 2009 07:52:43 UTC