Re: URIs for quantities and units defined within ISO 80000 and ISO 1000

Dear Anders,

We have a very specific request - we would like a part of the ISO/IEC 80000
series to assign URIs to quantities (e.g. length, mass, energy), units (e.g.
metre, kilogram, Joule), and scales (e.g. Celsius).

It could be argued that representations of quantities and units on computer
systems has never before been within the scope of TC 12. However, we would
reply that the Web is much more important than any previous "computer
system". Instead it is a representation analogous to printed text. TC 12
standards specify that the kilogram is represented as "kg" in printed text.
We would like the same family of standards to specify how the kilogram is
represented on the Web.

It may seem that assigning URIs is a trivial task, but an identification
scheme is required which can cope with future editions which may make
changes. A URN identification scheme for ISO standards is being agreed
between ISO CS and IETF (see
http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-goodwin-iso-urn-03). A similar approach is
required for quantities, units and scales.

Because this is a complicated issue, it is probably necessary to bring
Measures experts and Web experts together. How can this best be done?

Best regards,
David

At 22:15 04/08/2008 +0200, you wrote:
>
>Dear David Leal,
>
>Many thanks for your interesting message. I do not think that I have been in 
>direct contact with ISO/TC 184 before. We do not have a liason yet. I am 
>afraid that I have not received an e-mail from Mrs. Saruhashi . However, it 
>does not matter now when I have received this e-mail.
>
>I foresee that the harmonized ISO/IEC 80000-series will be completed in 2009 
>and then ISO 1000 will be withdrawn.
>
>Please let me know how I can contribute to your interesting work.
>
>Best regards
>Anders
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "David Leal" <david.leal@caesarsystems.co.uk>
>To: <athor@mech.kth.se>
>Cc: "Atsuko Saruhashi" <saruhashi@iso.org>; <public-xg-w3pm@w3.org>;
><david.price@eurostep.com>
>Sent: Monday, August 04, 2008 6:37 PM
>Subject: URIs for quantities and units defined within ISO 80000 and ISO 1000
>
>
>> Dear Mr. Thor,
>>
>> I believe Mrs. Saruhashi forwarded my previous e-mail on this subject to
>> you.
>>
>> There are many objects defined within ISO standards, which the Web
>> community
>> would like to reference by URI. The most fundamental of these are
>> quantities
>> and units, and this has been identified as a key requirement by both the
>> W3C
>> Product Modelling XG and the ISO TC184/SC4 "Industrial Data on the Web"
>> team.
>>
>> What would be the best way of raising this issue within ISO TC 12 and its
>> WGs?
>>
>> The use of URIs to identify objects is essential to our work, but the
>> reason
>> why may not be obvious to those not using Web technologies. The document
>> "Why URIs for quantities and units are important" is attached, which gives
>> a
>> brief explanation. I will be happy to expand on any issues which are
>> unclear.
>>
>> Best regards,
>> David Leal
>> (member of the W3C Product Modelling XG, co-convenor of the ISO TC184/SC4
>> "Industrial Data on the Web" team)

============================================================
David Leal
CAESAR Systems Limited
29 Somertrees Avenue
Lee London SE12 0BS
tel:      +44 (0)20 8857 1095
mob:      +44 (0)77 0702 6926
e-mail:   david.leal@caesarsystems.co.uk
web site: http://www.caesarsystems.co.uk
============================================================

Received on Tuesday, 5 August 2008 19:47:02 UTC