A proposal for syntax Re: Taking an axe RDF in XML? (no thank you)

Actually i don't want to propose yet another syntax at all. I figure there
are two many for implementation now. Fortunately there is an underlying model
which in principle at least allows people to transform between them, so that
as we coagulate on a syntax we can transform data that was kept in any format
we decide to abandon.

But I do have a proposal for some way of dealing with RDF that people can
understand. It relies on the fact that a lot of people make a graphic
representation in their minds, and is derived from RDFAuthor's [1] SVG
output.

The basic document is SVG, which includes RDF metadata in the current
Recommendation syntax. Which is perfectly reasonable and legitimate SVG.

In particular, the RDF is included wholesale.

In addition, a symbol is defined for an SVG node and for an arc.

Then each node is represented by a g element (svg element for grouping stuff)
that includes an ID, a depiction - either the "standard node symbol" or a
specialised one, and metadata stating that this g element depicts whatever
the URI of the real Node in the RDF is. (In my example I used the foaf idea
from rdfWeb - it seemed as good as any).

Likewise each arc is a g element with an id, a line, an optional label or
icon, and some information that says the g element represents a connection
between the two URIs in the RDF. (for this I used the ends property that I
originally used in the Accessibility features of SVG note).

In the example I have scribbled out and attached the coordinates are all
wrong, so the nice node->arc->node doesn't look right. I'll try and fix that,
but attached the source anyway since I think it shows the idea. And if anyone
wants to fix the source I have instead of me, please feel free - I realise
that it is buggy...

cheers

Chaals


-- 
Charles McCathieNevile    http://www.w3.org/People/Charles  phone: +61 409 134 136
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