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SMW Introduction: Difference between revisions
→Approaches to Semantic Web applications
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== Why do we want data sharing and re-use == | == Why do we want data sharing and re-use == | ||
The simple reasons are it will make our society more authentically inclusive, representative and efficient while creating new levels of participation. Data collected for public institutions is invaluable when creating information on features (built and natural resources and infrastructure), spending and partnerships. These institutions have critical short and long term funding problems, and it's impossible and undesirable for them to address every need. Non profit and social economy organizations exist, which can sometimes obtain public data, but the number of addressable niches aren't practically served by silo institutions. Opening data up with intentional access techniques and policies leads to more participation — more ability for individual citizens to understand, organize and analyze, including exchanging with professionals. Much like [http://techastronomy.com/article.asp?articleid=58065&7-Great-Discoveries-by-Amateur-Astronomers hobbyist astronomers can be key to important breakthroughs], there is tremendous potential in public data if it is shared. Public data should be considered as important in re-use as public infrastructure. | The simple reasons are it will make our society more authentically inclusive, representative and efficient while creating new levels of participation. Data collected for public institutions is invaluable when creating information on features (built and natural resources and infrastructure), spending and partnerships. These institutions have critical short and long term funding problems, and it's impossible and undesirable for them to address every need. Non profit and social economy organizations exist, which can sometimes obtain public data, but the number of addressable niches aren't practically served by 'silo' institutions. Opening data up with intentional access techniques and policies leads to more participation — more ability for individual citizens to understand, organize and analyze, including exchanging with professionals. Much like [http://techastronomy.com/article.asp?articleid=58065&7-Great-Discoveries-by-Amateur-Astronomers hobbyist astronomers can be key to important breakthroughs], there is tremendous potential in public data if it is shared. Public data should be considered as important in re-use as public infrastructure. ''revise, trop heavy.'' | ||
Based on the ease and minimal cost of gathering and organizing data functionality and interested parties on the Internet, an as yet unnamed new sector of public participation, including loosely affiliated individuals and groups such as http://www.visiblegovernment.ca, http://opengovdata.ru, http://www.mysociety.org and http://open.org.nz, is developing. This sector includes individuals, physical communities, and communities of interest, it includes real experts, dedicated hobbyists and the casually interested. They try to solve problems and better understand their world, but they need real data. These groups can work reciprocally with our existing institutions to efficiently fill gaps and build our systems. They can [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing crowd source] [http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page large] [http://www.wikipedia.org tasks], develop and maintain specialized tools, and build infrastructure services. | Based on the ease and minimal cost of gathering and organizing data, functionality, and interested parties on the Internet, an as yet unnamed new sector of public participation, including loosely affiliated individuals and groups such as http://www.visiblegovernment.ca, http://opengovdata.ru, http://www.mysociety.org and http://open.org.nz, is developing. This sector includes individuals, physical communities, and communities of interest, it includes real experts, dedicated hobbyists and the casually interested. They try to solve problems and better understand their world, but they need real data. These groups can work reciprocally with our existing institutions to efficiently fill gaps and build our systems. They can [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing crowd source] [http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page large] [http://www.wikipedia.org tasks], develop and maintain specialized tools, and build infrastructure services. | ||
== Why information sharing isn't common today == | == Why information sharing isn't common today == | ||
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The Internet has been mainstream for 15 years, nearly a generation of new and experienced users, programmers, researchers and so on using the most advanced systems available freely around the world. Innovation is amplified by international access and competition. We're starting to see real breakthroughs in Semantic Web type applications. With unlimited room for our improvement by building on rather than hoarding data, and the recognition of the value of a true participatory society, efforts to not share public data will have a stunting effect. | The Internet has been mainstream for 15 years, nearly a generation of new and experienced users, programmers, researchers and so on using the most advanced systems available freely around the world. Innovation is amplified by international access and competition. We're starting to see real breakthroughs in Semantic Web type applications. With unlimited room for our improvement by building on rather than hoarding data, and the recognition of the value of a true participatory society, efforts to not share public data will have a stunting effect. | ||
== Drawbacks and missteps == | |||
AI boondoggle | |||
value of efforts despite grand schemes - Dr Tony Shannon, on the OpenEHR mailing list, writes: | |||
<blockquote> | |||
If.... if I was to wait for an entirely top-down semantically interoperable solution to my healthcare systems needs then I agree that could be like awaiting a Tower of Babel. | |||
On the other hand, if we have agreed that... | |||
* healthcare systems needs to change | |||
* information management systems are key to improvements | |||
* an international health IT platform to openly share clinically useful components would be a good (if disruptive) thing | |||
* open standards (+/- open source solutions) are needed for that platform | |||
...then *any* effort to evolve healthcare solutions using archetypes from the bottom up, appears to me to be a move in the right direction. | |||
</blockquote> | |||
avoid grand schemes, exploit the many key advantages | |||
== Approaches to Semantic Web applications == | == Approaches to Semantic Web applications == | ||
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The heavyweight options are systems such as RDF and Topic Maps. They provide a complex interlinked way to describe arbitrary data. Today they are only used for specific projects, but as their use grows we can expect the web to become more interlinked, allowing an endless assemblage of information using the best references. | The heavyweight options are systems such as RDF and Topic Maps. They provide a complex interlinked way to describe arbitrary data. Today they are only used for specific projects, but as their use grows we can expect the web to become more interlinked, allowing an endless assemblage of information using the best references. | ||
The two approaches are called bottom-up (intentionally annotated) and top-down (mining/scraping) in [http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/rdf_semantic_web_apps.php this article]. | |||
One way to 'intentionally' create semantic data is Semantic Mediawiki. | One way to 'intentionally' create semantic data is Semantic Mediawiki. | ||