RE: D-AC009.2 discussion points and proposal(s)

Why are we raising this question again, about expressing WSDL in RDF?  WSDL
exists, and is in widespread use.  If it wasn't, that would be one thing.
And improving WSDL based on its current form is a good idea.  But I agree
with Sanjiva that the merits of recasting WSDL in RDF aren't clear at all.

I realize there's a difference of opinion over the relative importance of
the Web services activity and the semantic Web activity, but I also do not
think recasting WSDL in RDF helps bridge that gap.  The differnce is
philosophical, not technical IMHO.  The semantic Web activity to me appears
more concerned with ontology and categorization than mapping, which is what
Web services are all about.  And how does RDF relate to mapping?

I'm sure something like WSDL can be created using RDF, but do the tools and
conventions exist around RDF the way they do around XML for mapping to and
from executable programs, and representing the data structures independently
and comprehensively?

I'm sure a good case can be made for RDF.  But that's beside the point.  XML
has been used, successfully implemented, and widely adopted.  Let's continue
down that path, and progress it, rather than rethinking because of an
difference of opinion over what's important to the future of the Web.

Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: www-ws-arch-request@w3.org [mailto:www-ws-arch-request@w3.org]On
Behalf Of Sanjiva Weerawarana
Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2002 7:09 AM
To: www-ws-arch@w3.org
Subject: Re: D-AC009.2 discussion points and proposal(s)


"Champion, Mike" <Mike.Champion@SoftwareAG-USA.com> writes:
> We're talking about WSA here, not WSD.  IMHO, one can make a good case for
a
> WSDL-like language based on RDF without insisting that *all* components of
> the web services architecture be mapped to RDF.  For example, it's not

I'm a member of the WS-Desc WG. We had a presentation about RDF by
Eric Prud'hommeaux and David Booth at our April F2F. Prior to that
presentation I had little intuition as to how RDF would help WSDL
or how an RDF mapping would help better the Web service description
cause.

I'm sorry to say that even after that presentation I have exactly
the same intuition: I just don't get it. I try hard to keep an open
mind, and I've heard presentations about RDF for 4+ years, but I
still don't grok it and its added value. I can sort of see how it
could add value to the Web as a whole, but I really fail to see how
it adds value to Web services.

I'm still willing to say that its because I don't understand
something, but I wish someone could educate me so that I too can
become a believer and an advocate.

Sanjiva.

Received on Saturday, 25 May 2002 20:31:13 UTC