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Hi Bob,<br>
<br>
Thanks for this. It looks great!<br>
<br>
I guess we are building a Transcendent, Semi-Formal ontology with
read-only model dynamics and volatile instance dynamics. It could
certainly help with the language we use to discuss how we do things -
metametamodel stuff?<br>
<br>
One telling quote. Right from the beginning (page 21):<br>
<br>
"The ODM specification offers a number of benefits to potential users,
including:<br>
<ul>
<li>Options in the level of expressivity, complexity, and form
available for designing and implementing conceptual models, ranging
from <b>familiar UML and ER methodologies</b> to formal ontologies
represented in description logics or first order logic."<br>
</li>
</ul>
Although the document is very good at looking at ontology development
from different view points it does assume familiarity with UML and ER
methodologies. It makes the basic assumption that one is approaching
ontology construction from an software engineering background - hence
everything tends to be related back to UML. Most TDWG members are not
approaching ontology development from a software engineering background
so we need to be careful when confronting them with this. It could be
argued that this document is largely a "How to do ontologies in UML"
document. If you do not have UML ingrained in your culture then it may
not be so useful.<br>
<br>
Still a great document with loads of interesting stuff in it though.
Good find!<br>
<br>
All the best,<br>
<br>
Roger<br>
<br>
<br>
Bob Morris wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid44FB1F3B.6060800@cs.umb.edu" type="cite">Preparing
the syllabus for my graduate software engineering course, I stumbled on
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.eclipse.org/modeling/">http://www.eclipse.org/modeling/</a>
<br>
which leads eventually to the recently adopted OMG Ontology Definition
Metamodel (ODM)
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.omg.org/docs/ad/06-05-01.pdf">http://www.omg.org/docs/ad/06-05-01.pdf</a>
<br>
<br>
In Model Directed Architecture, a Metamodel constrains how you can
model your problems. Metamodels are always implicitly or explicitly
behind any modeling tools. Explicit is better, because then the tools
can analyze your conformance to the model. The eclipse modeling
framework (EMF) supports this, so that tools like the IBM Rational
Software Modeling and Rational Software Architect eclipse packages can
implement it. Probably so do other modeling tools.
<br>
<br>
In the detailed TOC of the above PDF, one will find every single topic
around which the TAG discussions have swirled, and more.
<br>
<br>
I'm sure that everyone on this list shares my excitement in finding
that there is potentially a rigorous framework for the tag ontology
efforts and will drop everything else to absorb this 338 page
specification before coming to St. Louis, at which the program should
be revised to comprise nothing else but its discussion for the entire
week. Hah, hah, just serious.
<br>
<br>
--Bob
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
-------------------------------------
Roger Hyam
Technical Architect
Taxonomic Databases Working Group
-------------------------------------
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.tdwg.org">http://www.tdwg.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:roger@tdwg.org">roger@tdwg.org</a>
+44 1578 722782
-------------------------------------
</pre>
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