Story Henry wrote:
On 18 Apr 2010, at 11:18, Dan Brickley wrote:
So - I'm serious. The term 'URI' has never really worked as something
most Web users encounter and understand.
For RDF, SemWeb and linked data efforts, this is a problem as our data
model is built around URIs.
If 'URL' can be brought back from limbo as a credible technical term,
and rebranded around the concept of 'linkage', I think it'll go a long
way towards explaining what we're up to with RDF.
Thoughts?
For the linked data movement, that seems like a good idea, definitively.
The fact that RDF is defined around IRIs is great, because it means that we can
be compatible with any future improvements. But we don't have to talk at that
level
of abstraction every day.
Henry,
As per my last comments. Amen!!
We don't need to start any conversation where the "Referent" is the
focus since all HTTP network users start with Document Addresses input
into the Browser's address bar etc..
Kingsley
Henry
Dan
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dan Brickley <[email protected]>
Date: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 11:52 AM
Subject: backronym proposal: Universal Resource Linker
To: [email protected]
Cc: Tim Berners-Lee <[email protected]>
I'll keep this short. The official term for Web identifiers, URI,
isn't widely known or understood. The I18N-friendly variant IRI
confuses many (are we all supposed to migrate to use it; or just in
our specs?), while the most widely used, understood and (for many)
easiest to pronounce, 'URL' (for Uniform Resource Locator) has been
relegated to 'archaic form' status. At the slightest provocation this
community dissapears down the rathole of URI-versus-URN, and until
this all settles down we are left with an uncomfortable disconnect
between how those in-the-know talk about Web identifiers, and those
many others who merely use it.
As of yesterday, I've been asked "but what is a URI?" one too many
times. I propose a simple-minded fix: restore 'URL' as the most
general term for Web identifiers, and re-interpret 'URL' as "Universal
Resource Linker". Most people won't care, but if they investigate,
they'll find out about the re-naming. This approach avoids URN vs URI
kinds of distinction, scores 2 out of 3 for use of intelligible words,
and is equally appropriate to classic browser/HTML, SemWeb and other
technical uses. What's not to like? The Web is all about links, and
urls are how we make them...
cheers,
Dan
--
Regards,
Kingsley Idehen
President & CEO
OpenLink Software
Web: http://www.openlinksw.com
Weblog: http://www.openlinksw.com/blog/~kidehen
Twitter/Identi.ca: kidehen
