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Re: Default Namespaces - why don't they apply to attributes?

• From: Jonathan Borden <jborden@m...>
• To: haustein@k...
• Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 09:30:49 -0400

Stefan Haustein wrote:
>
> Did you compare RDF to the serialization format included in SOAP?
> I am still in doubt which to choose for my application.

Let me answer the question without regard for healthcare specific needs.

I've designed XMOP (http://www.openhealth.org/documents/XMOP.htm) to
serialize objects. This format is similar to SOAP, but focusses on
serialization of the entire object rather than making a single method call
or property get/set.

When the application is of primary importance, it is reasonable to store
application state using something like SOAP or XMOP serialization formats.

When the *data* is of primary importance, and the application is secondary,
native XML documents are used for storage. Yes, the RDF syntax/serialization
format can be used to store the data from semantic modelling applications,
but RDF is also and more generally used as a layer on top of XML in order to
define semantics. This is the idea of TimBL's semantic web and an important
reason why RDF is a critical technology for the W3C. I happen to agree that
a world where we could navigate through semantic space would be a better
place. My main concern is that the RDF syntax may be too difficult to
understand for average joe web developer and that a concrete business case
does not yet exist for applications to use RDF, hence this semantic web may
not soon get implemented.

On the other hand, a semantically enabled global medical record might very
well be the killer application that proves the benefits of the semantic web
itself (aside from enabling more efficient internet shopping :-).

Jonathan Borden
http://www.openhealth.org

• Follow-Ups:
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    • From: Stefan Haustein <haustein@l...>

• References:
  • Re: Default Namespaces - why don't they apply to attributes?
    • From: Ronald Bourret <rpbourret@h...>
  • Re: Default Namespaces - why don't they apply to attributes?
    • From: Jonathan Borden <jborden@m...>
  • Re: Default Namespaces - why don't they apply to attributes?
    • From: Stefan Haustein <haustein@l...>

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