- From: Eran Hammer-Lahav <eran@hueniverse.com>
- Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 16:19:23 -0700
- To: "Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com" <Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com>, "julian.reschke@gmx.de" <julian.reschke@gmx.de>
- CC: "jar@creativecommons.org" <jar@creativecommons.org>, "connolly@w3.org" <connolly@w3.org>, "www-tag@w3.org" <www-tag@w3.org>
Yes. I have already committed to doing that and will seek your review before the new draft is published! EHL > -----Original Message----- > From: Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com [mailto:Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com] > Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 3:21 PM > To: Eran Hammer-Lahav; julian.reschke@gmx.de > Cc: jar@creativecommons.org; connolly@w3.org; www-tag@w3.org > Subject: Re: Q > > > Fair enough. I would ask, at least, that you either correct the > erroneous > statements about the shortcomings of URIQA in your draft, or remove > reference to URIQA entirely from your draft. > > Patrick > > > > On 2009-03-02 01:11, "ext Eran Hammer-Lahav" <eran@hueniverse.com> > wrote: > > > I would really love to dispute almost every statement in this reply, > but this > > can go on forever so I'm simply going to thank you for taking the > time to > > answer, and let you have the last word, noting clearly that we > disagree on > > this topic. > > > > :-) > > > > EHL > > > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com [mailto:Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com] > >> Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 3:07 PM > >> To: Eran Hammer-Lahav; julian.reschke@gmx.de > >> Cc: jar@creativecommons.org; connolly@w3.org; www-tag@w3.org > >> Subject: Q > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> On 2009-03-01 22:04, "ext Eran Hammer-Lahav" <eran@hueniverse.com> > >> wrote: > >> > >>> I don't need a convincing argument. You do. > >> > >> Well, I really am not interested in yet another long drawn out > debate > >> of the > >> same points which have been put forth in the past, since I really > don't > >> have > >> the bandwidth. I was originally motivated to offer some comments > >> (mostly > >> corrections) because it seemed from your draft that you (and other > >> "newcomers") had not understood URIQA very well, and I offer yet > >> additional > >> corrections below. > >> > >> I do not, however, intend to consume any more of my own bandwidth, > or > >> that > >> of the others on this distribution, as it seems, as before, to > simply > >> be a > >> suboptimal use of my time and energy. > >> > >> I will simply continue solving the specific technical challenges > that > >> are my > >> prime responsibility in the best manner possible, and if anyone else > >> benefits from anything I do, great. If not, cest la vie. > >> > >>> > >>> HTTP 1.1 is widely deployed in web servers, proxies, caches, and > >> clients. > >>> URIQA is not. The cost of getting the entire web to support a new > >> HTTP method > >>> is huge, especially for a read-access oriented method like MGET > which > >> must be > >>> cacheable and accessible (natively) from the most common web > platform > >> (that > >>> is, JS, Flash, PHP, etc.). > >> > >> There are many costs to successfully deploying semantic web > solutions, > >> and > >> most are not tied to server enhancements. It would be en error to > focus > >> too > >> narrowly on just the scope of costs associated with supporting some > >> additional server functionality, and disregarding the costs and > >> complexity > >> of creating, managing, and accessing formal metadata in the most > >> modular, > >> efficient, consistent, and scalable manner. > >> > >> And your assertion that "the entire web" would need to support such > >> additional server functionality is invalid. Only those servers which > >> the > >> owners wish to support serving of formal descriptions to semantic > web > >> agents > >> would need to be enhanced, and with the exception of <link> > elements, > >> the > >> other linking methods will require as much or more server > modification > >> and > >> enhancement to support a solution than adding a modular self > contained > >> URIQA > >> solution to the environment. > >> > >> And BTW, URIQA also alleviates the need for an explicit "host > metadata" > >> solution since one can simply execute an MGET on the server root URI > to > >> get > >> such "host metadata" -- Occam's Razor would support the single > solution > >> of > >> URIQA to numerous linking methods and special "host metadata" files. > >> > >>> > >>> As I said before, I like the concept of MGET very much. But I think > >> it fails > >>> certain requirements such as: > >>> > >>> 1. The ability to assign URI's to metadata. MGET doesn't help me > when > >> I want > >>> to express that B describes A. While B is usually used in > conjunction > >> with A, > >>> it is a discrete resource. > >> > >> > >> Sorry, but that's not correct, and if you look at what is returned > by > >> sw.nokia.com, you'll see that every description has a distinct URI > >> denoting > >> it (separate from the request URI). > >> > >> It's not mandated by the URIQA spec to provide such a distinct URI, > but > >> is > >> recommended. > >> > >>> Producing a representation of a descriptor when > >>> that descriptor doesn't have its own URI seems like a pretty bad > >> violation of > >>> web architecture. > >> > >> I agree, but as I've noted, this is not a shortcoming of URIQA. > >> > >>> > >>> 2. It fails at multiple levels of meta. If C describes B and B > >> describes A, > >>> using MGET, all I have is a URI for A... I have no way of obtaining > >> C. > >> > >> Again, incorrect. Presuming that [A] is the URI denoting A: > >> > >> MGET [A] -> description of A (i.e. B), where the response is denoted > by > >> [B] > >> MGET [B] -> description of B (i.e. C), where the response is denoted > by > >> [C] > >> MGET [C] -> description of C, etc. > >> > >> Easy (and simple, and efficient, and consistent). > >> > >>> > >>> 3. I strongly disagree it complies with the Equal Access Principle > >> [1]. > >> > >> Well, with all due respect, given the number of misunderstandings > you > >> have > >> clearly had about URIQA, it's hard for me to accept that your > >> conclusions on > >> any particular point are valid (they may be, but since I've not seen > >> sufficient comments from you indicating you actually understand how > >> URIQA > >> works and what it offers, I'm unable to give you the benefit of the > >> doubt). > >> > >>> In a > >>> previous email you listed all the issues in deploying URIQA and the > >>> workarounds and hacks needed to get it to work. I am unwilling and > >> unable to > >>> go on a crusade to get URIQA adopted so that the community I serve > >> will be > >>> able to use it. > >> > >> I can appreciate that position (though I think it is overstated). > >> > >> I think it depends on where you want to ultimately place the burden. > >> > >> URIQA simplifies things for creating, managing, and especially > >> accessing > >> formal metadata. > >> > >> Linking (has the illusion that it) simplifies things for the server > >> admins/owners (but folks will eventually find out just how much they > >> will > >> need to do to get a critical mass of adoption and use, and in the > end, > >> things would be a lot easier and cheaper with an approach such as > >> URIQA). > >> > >> Ultimately, the semantic web will succeed or fail based on (a) the > ease > >> with > >> which novel applications can be created and (b) the volume of useful > >> metadata. > >> > >> Whatever solution(s) become standardized (either defacto or > otherwise) > >> will > >> need to effectively address those points. > >> > >>> > >>> If you read my full proposal for Link-based Resource Descriptor > >> Discovery [2], > >> > >> I have. > >> > >>> you'd know that none of the 3 methods proposed offer a complete > >> solution. > >> > >> If by "the 3 methods" you refer to the different methods of using > >> linking to > >> associate descriptions with resources, then yes, I certainly agree > that > >> they > >> do not offer a complete solution (not even combined). > >> > >>> That's why I have 3. Criticizing Links by picking on a single form > of > >> link > >>> (header, element, host-meta patterns) is pointless because the > first > >> thing I > >>> said in my draft is that neither one is complete. > >> > >> Well, I didn't pick on any one specifically. I think most of my > >> comments > >> apply to all three. > >> > >> And I never stated that linking was not a useful technique for > >> associating > >> descriptions with resources (and in fact, I explicitly stated the > >> opposite). > >> Rather my concern is that such techniques are not simple nor optimal > >> enough > >> for a sufficiently broad range of semantic web agents to serve as > the > >> primary standardized way that semantic web agents ask web authorites > >> about > >> resources denoted by URIs grounded in those domains. I've detailed > >> several > >> use cases which give rise to these concerns, so I won't repeat them. > >> > >> And I've pointed out those problemmatic use cases many times before, > >> and > >> proponents of alternative solutions to URIQA never step up and > address > >> them, > >> so I must conclude none are able to offer a reasonable account. > >> > >>> > >>> I studies URIQA carefully when I performed my analysis and it > failed > >> my > >>> requirements. So far I have not heard anything new to pursued me > >> otherwise. > >> > >> Well, in all fairness, it doesn't appear you studied it well enough, > >> since > >> you seem to have gotten most of the key points wrong and therefore > your > >> conclusions are based on misunderstanding. I also would have been, > and > >> am, > >> most willing to answer any questions you might have had, or still > have, > >> about URIQA, if you truly are seeking to study the problem and all > >> reasonable solutions objectively. > >> > >> Regards, > >> > >> Patrick > >> > >>> > >>> EHL > >>> > >>> [1] > >>> http://www.hueniverse.com/hueniverse/2009/02/the-equal-access- > >> principal.html > >>> [2] http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-hammer-discovery > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>>> -----Original Message----- > >>>> From: Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com > [mailto:Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com] > >>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 9:24 PM > >>>> To: Eran Hammer-Lahav; julian.reschke@gmx.de > >>>> Cc: jar@creativecommons.org; connolly@w3.org; www-tag@w3.org > >>>> Subject: Re: Uniform access to metadata: XRD use case. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> On 2009-02-24 19:00, "ext Eran Hammer-Lahav" <eran@hueniverse.com> > >>>> wrote: > >>>> > >>>>> I'll separate the two for my next draft and correct this. > >>>>> > >>>>> Adding URIQA support in many hosted environments or large > corporate > >>>> deployment > >>>>> isn't simple. It sets a pretty steep threshold on adoption [1]. > >>>> > >>>> I've seen such comments before, but have never seen a convincing > >>>> argument. > >>>> > >>>> If you are going to be doing "semantic web stuff" and publishing > >>>> metadata > >>>> about resources, then you are going to have to do something more > >> than > >>>> just > >>>> your plain out-of-the-box web server solution, both for serving > the > >>>> metadata > >>>> and for managing/authoring the metadata. > >>>> > >>>> A "plug-in" solution like URIQA, which can be integrated into any > >> web > >>>> server > >>>> either by a method redirection proxy or by having the server pass > >>>> unsupported method requests to it, is trivially easy to add. > >>>> > >>>> After all, how hard is it to e.g. add WebDAV to a web site? In > most > >>>> cases, > >>>> pretty trivial. No difference for an approach such as URIQA. > >>>> > >>>>> I actually > >>>>> like the MGET approach a lot, but I can't sell it to 90% of my > use > >>>> cases. > >>>>> Consider me an extreme pragmatists... > >>>>> > >>>>> EHL > >>>>> > >>>>> [1] > >>>>> http://www.hueniverse.com/hueniverse/2009/02/the-equal-access- > >>>> principal.html > >>>> > >>>> Well, I read it, but I don't see how URIQA conflicts with your > >> "equal > >>>> access > >>>> principle", in fact, it seems to be quite in tune with it. > >>>> > >>>> Patrick > >>>> > >>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>> -----Original Message----- > >>>>>> From: Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com > >> [mailto:Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com] > >>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 8:48 AM > >>>>>> To: Eran Hammer-Lahav; julian.reschke@gmx.de > >>>>>> Cc: jar@creativecommons.org; connolly@w3.org; www-tag@w3.org > >>>>>> Subject: Re: Uniform access to metadata: XRD use case. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> On 2009-02-24 18:18, "ext Eran Hammer-Lahav" > <eran@hueniverse.com> > >>>>>> wrote: > >>>>>> > >>>>>>> Both of which are included in my analysis [1] for the discovery > >>>>>> proposal. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> A few notes: > >>>>>> > >>>>>> The statement "Minimum roundtrips to retrieve the resource > >>>> descriptor: > >>>>>> 2" is > >>>>>> not correct for URIQA. Only one is needed. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> URIQA also supports self declaration. The descriptor returned > can > >> of > >>>>>> course > >>>>>> include statements about the descriptor itself, though typically > >> the > >>>>>> descriptor would be a CBD by default, which would not. Still, no > >>>> reason > >>>>>> why > >>>>>> it couldn't. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Not sure why you would consider "Scale and Technology Agnostic" > a > >>>>>> negative, > >>>>>> since in real practice, if you have a server that is going to > >> offer > >>>>>> authoritative metadata, you have to enhance the server in some > >>>> manner > >>>>>> (e.g. > >>>>>> to insert links, etc.) so being able to modularly add a > component > >>>> which > >>>>>> doesn't intrude upon the existing core web server functionality, > >> but > >>>>>> can > >>>>>> operate in an auxilliary fashion, satisfying requests for > metadata > >>>> in a > >>>>>> manner not intrinsically tied to how representations are served, > >> is > >>>> a > >>>>>> plus > >>>>>> in my book. And solutions such as link forces content publishers > >> to > >>>>>> mint > >>>>>> extra URIs to identify the descriptors explicitly, when usually, > >>>>>> clients > >>>>>> don't care about the identity of the descriptor, they just want > >> the > >>>>>> metadata. So again, "technology agnostic" = "modular" in my > book, > >>>> and > >>>>>> that's > >>>>>> always a plus. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Perhaps you should split URIQA from PROPFIND since your summary > of > >>>>>> PROPFIND > >>>>>> does not correctly capture its properties, and suggests URIQA is > >>>>>> essentially > >>>>>> equivalent, which it clearly is not. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Cheers, > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Patrick > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> EHL > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> [1] http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-hammer-discovery- > >> 02#appendix- > >>>> B.2 > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> -----Original Message----- > >>>>>>>> From: Julian Reschke [mailto:julian.reschke@gmx.de] > >>>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 1:45 AM > >>>>>>>> To: Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com > >>>>>>>> Cc: Eran Hammer-Lahav; jar@creativecommons.org; > connolly@w3.org; > >>>>>> www- > >>>>>>>> tag@w3.org > >>>>>>>> Subject: Re: Uniform access to metadata: XRD use case. > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> Patrick.Stickler@nokia.com wrote: > >>>>>>>>> ... > >>>>>>>>> Agents which want to deal with authoritative metadata use > >>>>>>>> MGET/MPUT/etc. > >>>>>>>>> ... > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> Same with PROPFIND and PROPPATCH, btw. > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> BR, Julian > >>>>> > >>> > >
Received on Sunday, 1 March 2009 23:19:54 UTC