Re: Sharing ontologies in the semantic web world

Chris Catton wrote:

>An ontology is supposed to be a 'shared conceptualisation'.
>  
>
+1

>Traditionally though, ontologies have been built by a few domain experts
>and programmers, or through a long-drawn-out process of collaboration on
>mailing lists.  This has usually been adequate for 'in-house' ontologies
>and 'proof-of-concept' ontologies like FOAF, but I think we are starting
>to see issues that arise from building ontologies in this way for the
>wider community. One obvious problem is that if the only way to change
>an ontology is to email the owner, the change process does not scale
>well :-)
>  
>
Above is obviously not going to work. We need standards and tools for 
allowing building knowledge bases around ontologies and RDF content in a 
collaborative, distributed manner. The entire process needs to be 
organic but with appropriate access control and other security measures 
in place. In addition one needs the ability subscribe to semantic 
content and be notified when events of interest occur around the content 
of interest.

>I'm wondering whether it is possible and/or better to build an ontology
>by collaboration rather than 'survival of the fittest'.  
>
It is possible and absolutely necessary.

The ebXML Registry TC at OASIS has recently created a Semantic Content 
Management SC  to build exactly such as solution
based upon the ebXML Registry standard. I will send an announcement on 
it shortly in a separate message.

....

>So what would be required to co-operate on ontology building?  
>
....

You raise some thought provoking questions. The Semantic Content 
Management SC plans to address these very questions and would welcome 
participation from subject experts. Thanks.

-- 
Regards,
Farrukh

Received on Thursday, 15 January 2004 11:05:32 UTC