Re: Why Linked Data?

On 10 February 2012 02:22, Manu Sporny <msporny@digitalbazaar.com> wrote:
> On 02/09/2012 03:52 AM, Melvin Carvalho wrote:
>>
>> I've had a lot of feedback on the Web Credits spec so far and I
>> think there is a common question.
>>
>> "Why use Linked Data"
>
>
> You too, huh? :)
>
>
>> I'm unsure as a standards community we've explained the case well
>> enough to those that may be relatively new to the concept.  Perhaps
>> it's something we take for granted.
>
>
> I think you're right... very few know about Linked Data outside of the
> Web standards world.
>
>
>> I was wondering how we can make the case for linked data and whether
>> that motivation should be translated into our documents.
>
>
> An attempt to do this was made in a previous e-mail to David Nicol.
> Perhaps we need to add an item on the PaySwarm wiki?
>
>
>> Perhaps when things are still relatively early in standardization
>> process (Community Group) we should focus some time on discussing
>> the advantages of the LD approach to standarization?
>
>
> I'd be happy to have this discussion on here - we just need somebody to
> play the part of "non-believer" :)


What is linked open data?
======================

Linked open data is a movement that was started Tim Berners-Lee, the
inventor of the Web, and has been maturing in the free software and
open data communities for the last decade.

Further information can be found at:

http://linkeddata.org/
http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/LinkedData.html


Who is using this?
=================

Linked data in the last few years has seen increasing adoption in a
variety of places.

Most major govts. are now on board with the program to increase transparency

Over 10,000 of popular retailers from bestbuy to sears to volkwagen
use linked data

Most of the the popular search engines are now linked data friendly

Recently facebook joined the cloud, and google, liverjournal, opera,
hi5, status.net and others have made some effort

Perhaps most importantly the open technology allows individuals to
take control of their data and join the cloud with their own home
page.


What are the technical implications?
==============================

Over the past few years it has become easier and easier to deploy
linked data solutions.  Ten years ago it was XML based, but those days
are long gone.  Linked data can now be deployed easily in web pages
and is part of the new HTML5 standard, on also using the popular JSON
format.


Why is this Important?
=====================

Data freedom is one of the key tenets of human freedom.  Allowing data
to be free reused and remixed in interesting way is what made the web
popular in the first place.  We are still in early days but the more
people that participate the greater the benefit for everyone.

Longer term this will enable data driven applications to become first
class citizens of the web, and interact with each other in interesting
ways.



>
> -- manu
>
> --
> Manu Sporny (skype: msporny, twitter: manusporny)
> Founder/CEO - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
> blog: PaySwarm vs. OpenTransact Shootout
> http://manu.sporny.org/2011/web-payments-comparison/
>

Received on Friday, 10 February 2012 09:37:35 UTC