Re: EARL for dummies

> http://www.w3.org/2001/03/earl/0.9.rdf
> makes clear that this stuff isn't clear for non-geek/nerd folks.

It also makes it clear that XML RDF is less than adequate for
communicating RDF model ideas on a person to person basis. Too many
pointy brackets.

This is certainly something that needs Wendy/Al/Gregory-izing: how to
explain the concept of a *data-model* to a public that doesn't even
know where to begin. My own extraordinarily crude and sub-standard
attemps are attached as <<0.95primer.html>>. These are more like
"notes" than an attempt at a cohesive reference document - I abandoned
it early on.

We have a couple of problems with "EARL for dummies":-

1) The syntax. To create a model, you need a syntax, but then people
get bogged down in it, and forget what it was they were learning
about. I want to learn about EARL, and now you're telling me to go
read up on XML Namespaces, RDF Model and Syntax, and Notation3? Why
can't it just be EARL? We have to explain that EARL is built on top of
these thing, but also to provide people with just enough information
so that they can understnad EARL. No more. If they want more
information, they can always follow the links.
2) The model. How do we represent this in a media-independant manner?
Clearly, we need some easy-to-understand text... simple introductions,
lots of examples. Daniel/Charles hit upon this in the teleconference.

Anyway, that's a little bit to be thinking about. The attached primer
isn't all that good... but it's a start.

--
Kindest Regards,
Sean B. Palmer
@prefix : <http://webns.net/roughterms/> .
:Sean :hasHomepage <http://purl.org/net/sbp/> .