RE: Vocab format

From: Tony Linde <Tony.Linde-at-leicester.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:22:41 +0100


SKO tools which might be useful are at:
  http://esw.w3.org/topic/SkosDev/ToolShed  

T.  

From: owner-semantics-at-eso.org [mailto:owner-semantics-at-eso.org] On Behalf Of Tony Linde
Sent: 14 September 2007 15:40
To: semantics-at-ivoa.net
Subject: Vocab format  

What format should any vocabulary be stored in?  

Since there is a W3C standard for the description and definition of concepts and terminology - SKOS: http://www.w3.org/2004/02/skos/ - I'd like to propose that this be used for any and all vocabularies which the IVOA creates. Such a format could then be transformed into other forms if these are necessary. This makes it possible for us to use any existing or future tools which are created. SKOS might be extended if it requires constructs unique to astronomy but since we're discussing a vocabulary, it seems unlikely.  

Someone mentioned that astros need to apply more than one definition to a term. I think this is a bad thing to do: if a thing can be defined in two or more ways then it is not a thing, it is two or more things. What we ought to do is create separate definitions of the different concepts and then link them back to whatever common concept they are supposed to address. Having multiple definitions will make it impossible to address the multiple concepts.  

Please add your own proposals for a definition language or reasons why SKOS is or is not suitable.  

T.  

-- 
Tony Linde
Phone:  +44 (0)116 223 1292    Mobile: +44 (0)785 298 8840
Email:  Tony.Linde-at-leicester.ac.uk
Web:    http://www.star.le.ac.uk/~ael
 
Project Manager, EuroVO VOTech   http://eurovotech.org 
Programme Manager, AstroGrid     http://www.astrogrid.org 
Chair, JISC U&I Workgroup        http://tinyurl.com/ymxvqw
 
Received on 2007-09-14Z17:23:49