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Web Metadata, what is Web Metadata, what is it?it?
Ora LassilaOra Lassila
Visiting Scientist (from Nokia)Visiting Scientist (from Nokia)
• Definition• Applications• Current Standardization Efforts
Metadata: DefinitionMetadata: Definition
• Traditionally, metadata has been seen as
DATA ABOUT DATADATA ABOUT DATA
• Example: Library catalogs describe information about books (data).
Metadata: DefinitionMetadata: Definition
• WWW contains a lot of information
• All of the web– is “machine-readable”– but is not “machine-understandable”
• A lot could be gained if– it was possible to precisely describe
pages, servers, search services
Metadata: DefinitionMetadata: Definition
• “Web metadata” is– machine-understandable descriptions
of things on - and about - the web
• Metadata can be seen as data with– structure (typically this means at least
attribute/values pairs)– semantics (defined meaning)
Applications of Applications of MetadataMetadata• Resource discovery
– search engines can better “understand” the contents of a particular page
– more accurate searches
• Cataloging– describing the content and content
relationships of web sites, pages, digital libraries
Applications of Applications of MetadataMetadata• Content rating
– empowering users to select which kinds of web content they like to see
– protection of children
• Intelligent software agents– knowledge representation and sharing– communication
Applications of Applications of MetadataMetadata• Describing collections of pages• Intellectual property rights (IPR)
– copyright statements etc.
• Digital signatures– key to building the "Web of Trust”– electronic commerce, collaboration, etc.
Metadata Metadata StandardizationStandardization• History
– PICS (Platform for Internet Content Selection)
– “Dublin Core” (a digital library initiative)– others
• Current Effort at W3C– RDF (Resource Description Framework)
Resource Description Resource Description FrameworkFramework• RDF inspired by various efforts
– PICS and “Next Generation PICS” (PICS-NG) work at W3C
– Microsoft’s XML-Data, Netscape’s MCF
• Design effort coordinated by W3C– working group consisting of engineers
from Microsoft, Netscape, Nokia, IBM, OCLC, W3C, and others
Resource Description Resource Description Framework - an Framework - an exampleexample
<assertions href=“http://www.w3.org/People/Lassila”> <title>Ora’s Home Page</title> <creator> <resource> <name>Ora Lassila</name> <email>[email protected]</name> </resource> </creator></assertions>
Ora’s Home Pagehttp://www.w3.org/People/Lassila
Ora Lassila
title
creatorname
Resource Description Resource Description FrameworkFramework• First public draft of the standard
proposal released October 3rd• Work continues in working groups
• Expect to see future versions of web browsers to be able to use RDF!
Questions?Questions?
Contact InformationContact Information
Ora Lassila
+1-781-238-4908
[email protected] http://www.w3.org/People/Lassila