Re: Enquire - WWW - Semantic Desktop/PersonalDataWiki? do you agree?

On 11/22/10 7:23 AM, Melvin Carvalho wrote:
>
>
> On 22 November 2010 14:58, ProjectParadigm-ICT-Program <metadataportals@yahoo.com <mailto:metadataportals@yahoo.com>> wrote:
>
>     Dear all,
>
>     As a more generalist ICT person I have been following this thread with quite some interest and its seems to me that there are
>     some fundamental questions that need to be answered!
>
>     The Semantic Web is at a crossroads right now with Google and Drupal and quite a few other players considerably increasing its
>     visibility.
>
>     Dozens of FOSS, open access and open repository oriented collaboration groups, some non-profits, some coops and some in the
>     grey area of undefined skunk works are trying to incorporate semantic web technologies or at least enable use of linked data.
>
>     Most of them haven't got a clue where to start.
>

I think I have a lot of clues built up, but there's only one good way to tell: Create a working product that is immediately 
compelling to all users.

>
>     Which demands clarity from those who DO know, like the W3C technical committees and most of the members of the assorted lists
>     of the W3C, which are either in the academia, mainstream or niche market software markets or in research or related fields.
>

Getting the enabling technology and paradigms right is a prerequisite for such a solution, but they are not sufficient.  Jumping 
beyond our current plateau is going to take more than the simple application veneer that were enough for most generations of 
solutions.  Too many people are constrained to thinking in the language of existing software elements.  This shows even with techies 
by the slow adoption of triplestores / SPARQL / et al vs. RDBMS systems, which are clearly deficient.

>
>     I understand the problem Leo faces, but I sincerely ask myself if it is merely a question of sales pitch, semantics (pardon
>     the pun) or finding a convincing outlook for the development of new technologies for some angel or other investor to be
>     willing to invest in.
>

Most companies get investment when they show a product that is clearly different, better, and more or less immediately compelling.  
But at that point, you often can avoid much or any investment.
...
On 11/22/10 8:29 AM, ProjectParadigm-ICT-Program wrote:
> While the semantic web is clear in its setup and concepts, it is NOT easy for the average layman to grasp in its actual workings 
> and technical details.

That is the main problem.  Further along those lines, even those that are well versed in the concepts have to think too much with 
most of today's tools.  Interesting perhaps, but not optimal.  The solution that becomes widespread will make the use of semantics 
natural, flexible, easy, and obvious.  It will (need to) be so fun that everything that came before will feel like the stone age.

Stephen
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Received on Monday, 22 November 2010 18:19:32 UTC