Re: Automatic annotation with RichLink Author

Good observations Jon.   I'll reply in bold within context below:

-----Original Message-----
From: Jon Garfunkel <jgarfunk@bbn.com>
To: www-annotation@w3.org <www-annotation@w3.org>
Cc: sepstein@sentius.com <sepstein@sentius.com>
Date: Wednesday, May 26, 1999 10:12 PM
Subject: Re: Automatic annotation with RichLink Author


>At 11:48 AM 5/20/1999 -0400, Steven Epstein wrote:
>>I invite members of this group to take a look at RichLink Author, a new
>>authoring tool that allows multilevel annotations of words or phases.
>
>I. Good ideas.
>
>Can I describe the type of annotation used here as "dictionary-based": it
>looks each phrase in reference database. Many instances of the same phrase
>can share the same annotation. Compare with with {critLink, ThirdVoice}
>which are based on context/position which there have unique annotations.)

RichLink Author can use the RichLink Databases that we license to
automatically add annotations to your text.  Or, you can create your own
glossaries with our forthcoming RichLink Database Creation tool.  But you
are not limited to annotations based on dictionaries or glossaries you can
use our WYSIWYG editor to add custom notes or links to any word or phrase.
The example from "Europa" that we have on our site (www.sentius.com) was
first annotated automatically with the definitions of key words taken
automatically from the American Heritage English Dictionary.  Then the
professor used RichLink Author to add her "teaching notes", and HTTP links
to useful images on the web and to threaded message boards

>
>I recall Martin Duerst briefly noting a similarly-featured dictionary-based
>translator plug-in at the w3c track at www8. (I could not find it listed at
>the w3 site under slides for this particular set of presentation.)

If you can find the information regarding similar tools I'd be very much
interested in learning of it.  Do you have content information for Martin?

>
>II. Some observations about the architecture:
>
>1. RLF, the document format used by RichLink, does not appear to be based
>on HTML/XML-- it is a binary format with an openly defined format.

The RLF format can be added as a MIME type to a server so that any web
server that supports HTML can support RLF.  In addition, a RichLink document
can be embedded into a HTML document just as a JPEG or GIF can be embedded.

>2. The RichLink architecture suggests a database to store needed
>definitions. It is not clear whether (A) the needed definitions come with
>the document, or whether they are (B) installed on the client, or (C) on
>any server, or (D) on the Sentius root server only.

When the RichLink document is created, the Databases reside on the
development system.  When the document is ready for web distribution only
the data elements from the DB that are needed by that document are made a
part of the document.  Wherever the document goes, the annotations go also.

>A nice touch is that it appears that the client can get definitions from
more than one reference dictionary.

YES, we allow multilevel annotation and the annotations can come for
different sources.
>
>In my opinion, interpreting WWW philosophy, standards:
>
>#1 doesn't fit well with the www model.

Two answers:
        We just need to change the model ;-)
        WE are looking to support other formats, such as XML, PDF, DHTML

>#2 should support, in order C,B,A.
>
>
>III. Also, I was wondering if my nomenclature is on the right path:
>
>a. dictionary-based vs. position/context-based ?

RichLink is both..  It is dictionary-based in that we draw from dictionaries
for the automatic annotations.  It is context based in that you can create a
custom glossary that is specific for a document and can further add unique
comments or links as required.
>
>
Steven L. Epstein, Ph. D. (sepstein@sentius.com)
Vice President for Market Development -- Sentius Corporation
(914) 428-4090
Instant Understanding with RichLink
Free download at www.sentius.com


>Jon
>
>"And on the eighth day, He found the README file..."
>
>Jon Garfunkel .......................... phone 781-262-4797
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