Semantic Web

DOAP support for widgets

By Kjetil Kjernsmokjetilk. Tuesday, June 20, 2006 8:37:34 AM

Opera 9.0 has just been released, and with that, widgets.opera.com. Widgets are small chrome-less programs for a specific task. Each widget now comes with DOAP-support. DOAP is an RDF schema for describing software projects. It is most useful for larger free software projects, where you have public version control systems and mailing lists, but I have entered some useful data on the widgets too.

For example, the circular Tetris widget Torus has a link element to the DOAP for the widget. While it isn't visible on the page, it should be detectable for applications looking for RDF.

Perl and RDF talk at the Nordic Perl WorkshopA new semweb widget...

Comments

Trond K. Pettersentrondp # Friday, June 30, 2006 10:25:14 AM

Sorry, this is off-topic (although the widgets in Opera 9.0 are pretty cool).

I saw your comment about the semantic web at db.no (http://www.dagbladet.no/dinside/2006/06/26/469929.html):

Just wanted to say that I disagree with your statement that the semantic web is built on RDF. You don't necessarily need RDF to make semantic statements where data is self describing outside the context of layout (like HTML). From your comment it seems that the only way to "build"/get a semantic web is through RDF (and/or possibly OWL), but it isn't necessarily so.

Other "semantic" technologies exist, and just because the W3C are - of course - promoting their vision of the semantic web, it doesn't mean that they can decide what is semantic or not (we've got philosophers for such things :D). Hence, they can't claim copyright on the term "semantic web".

Apart from that, you made a good job "correcting" the journalist. From the article, it sounded like the SW was some kind of super cool new idea that technologists have just started talking about.

If you're interested in my opinions, I've - shameless self-promotion coming up - written a thesis on the semantic web and semantic web technologies [1]. Although it's not that technical (you can fast-forward to chapter 3), you might find it interesting.

[1] http://huin.uib.no/~st05223/Pettersen-Semantiske_netteknologier.pdf

Kjetil Kjernsmokjetilk # Monday, July 3, 2006 1:45:53 PM

Very cool to see your thesis! I have just skimmed it very briefly. Of course, I'm fully aware of the existing of other technologies to achieve the vision of the semantic web, and you're not alone in thinking that I'm wrong in saying that the semantic web is built on RDF. And I mean, whatever meets the goal. I just happen to think that the microformats guys won't be getting very far without getting assimilated by the RDF folks (which doesn't mean that I think microformats is a waste), and I have been somewhat sceptical towards the Topic Maps approach, but no more sceptical than I would certainly like to do more work on it if getting a chance.

I don't think anyone wants a copyright (or more likely a trademark) on the term "Semantic Web". There is a vision to be achieved, and whatever technology achieves it, I'll be clapping my hands. :-)

It is always useful to be working in several directions when doing something that is as researchy as this, some things will fall by the wayside, some won't. I just happen to think that it is the RDF world that has seen the most broad progress (even though the TM world has quite a few of practical applications to show off). Besides, the TM world is working hard to come over :-)