DAML+OIL Issues and Experiences

In preparation for the first WebOnt Face-to-Face meeting, Frank van Harmelen suggested collecting feedback from current users of DAML+OIL. Mike Dean collected the results and prepared this summary.

The table below identifies the issues addressed in each of the submitted reports, and attempts to draw some consensus conclusions.

Issue [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Conclusions

(dis)agreements X

RDF(S) layering X

classical relational properties X X Support for classical relational properties (transitivity, reflexivity, symmetry) is preferable to direct support for partOf, etc. In additional to TransitiveProperty, DAML+OIL should add SymmetricProperty and ReflexiveProperty.

compliance X

daml:collection parseType X X Statement ordering can be important, and is not adequately addressed in DAML+OIL.

daml:imports X X X daml:imports is insufficient and should be extended or removed.

datatypes X X

equivalence X

external constraints X

frame orientation X X Many users prefer a frame orientation, which was largely lost in DAML+OIL.

meta-model X X Some users desire an extensible meta-model.

multilinguality (internationalization, signs) X X X RDF and DAML+OIL provide insufficient support for labels across multiple natural languages.

n-ary relations X X X X Direct support for n-ary relations is desirable.

ontology documentation X

query language X

redundancy X X X The ability to express the same thing in multiple ways can be problematic.

reification X X There's strong interest in being able to make statements about (asserted) statements.

roles X

rules X X

simplification X X

Colophon

This page was generated from experience information (n3 and generated DAML) using a custom Java program.

$Id: experiences.n3,v 1.7 2002/01/08 06:20:28 mdean Exp $

Issue	[1]	[2]	[3]	[4]	[5]	[6]	[7]	[8]	[9]	Conclusions
(dis)agreements	X
RDF(S) layering				X
classical relational properties			X						X	Support for classical relational properties (transitivity, reflexivity, symmetry) is preferable to direct support for partOf, etc. In additional to TransitiveProperty, DAML+OIL should add SymmetricProperty and ReflexiveProperty.
compliance				X
daml:collection parseType					X				X	Statement ordering can be important, and is not adequately addressed in DAML+OIL.
daml:imports				X				X	X	daml:imports is insufficient and should be extended or removed.
datatypes							X		X
equivalence									X
external constraints	X
frame orientation				X				X		Many users prefer a frame orientation, which was largely lost in DAML+OIL.
meta-model	X							X		Some users desire an extensible meta-model.
multilinguality (internationalization, signs)			X			X		X		RDF and DAML+OIL provide insufficient support for labels across multiple natural languages.
n-ary relations	X	X					X	X		Direct support for n-ary relations is desirable.
ontology documentation								X
query language								X
redundancy				X				X	X	The ability to express the same thing in multiple ways can be problematic.
reification						X			X	There's strong interest in being able to make statements about (asserted) statements.
roles		X
rules	X							X
simplification		X							X