Gregor
I have written a rough document considering several aspects of the
SDD-schema - largely interpreted with reference to our Prometheus Database
model for descriptive data. It seems easier to keep this all together,
rather than post it to various sections on twiki, so i am attaching it here
My main problems in interpreting the schema were the lack of documentation (
as always...) especially for the conceptually complex parts like concept
trees. I think clear, visual summary models for description, characters,
concept trees etc would help a novice to get to grips with the concepts, and
might make some of the complexities more tractable. I do worry that the
overall schema is over complex and 'trying to do too much in one go' - eg
considering multiple language and expertise representations, although I am
sure that there are good political reasons for everything.....
yours
trevor
Trevor Paterson PhD
t.paterson(a)napier.ac.uk <mailto:t.paterson@napier.ac.uk>
School of Computing
Napier University
Merchiston Campus
10 Colinton Road
Edinburgh
Scotland
EH10 5DT
tel: +44 (0)131 455-2752
www.dcs.napier.ac.uk/~cs175 <http://www.dcs.napier.ac.uk/~cs175>
www.prometheusdb.org <http://www.prometheusdb.org/>
Dear Trevor,
I watched from a far intellectual distance (not being a computer
scientist or a taxonomist) as my colleague Bob Morris helped develop the
SDD schema. Occasionally Bob and I would discuss the the broader issues
of how standards are recieved by a community and how or why they get adopted
I know there was a great deal of time and thought put into the proposed
standard and that your comments will be very helpful to the committee
and to someone like me trying to understand the issues.
Your email also highlights the equally important communication and
sociological issues with standards. I hope your comments will stimulate
a broader dialogue.
Rob Stevenson
Paterson, Trevor wrote:
> Gregor
>
> I have written a rough document considering several aspects of the
> SDD-schema - largely interpreted with reference to our Prometheus
> Database model for descriptive data. It seems easier to keep this all
> together, rather than post it to various sections on twiki, so i am
> attaching it here
>
> My main problems in interpreting the schema were the lack of
> documentation ( as always...) especially for the conceptually complex
> parts like concept trees. I think clear, visual summary models for
> description, characters, concept trees etc would help a novice to get
> to grips with the concepts, and might make some of the complexities
> more tractable. I do worry that the overall schema is over complex and
> 'trying to do too much in one go' - eg considering multiple language
> and expertise representations, although I am sure that there are good
> political reasons for everything.....
>
> yours
> trevor
>
>
>
> Trevor Paterson PhD
> t.paterson(a)napier.ac.uk <mailto:t.paterson@napier.ac.uk>
>
> School of Computing
> Napier University
> Merchiston Campus
> 10 Colinton Road
> Edinburgh
> Scotland
> EH10 5DT
>
> tel: +44 (0)131 455-2752
>
> www.dcs.napier.ac.uk/~cs175
> <http://www.dcs.napier.ac.uk/%7Ecs175>www.prometheusdb.org
> <http://www.prometheusdb.org/>
>
>
--
R.D. Stevenson
Dept. of Biology
UMass Boston
MA 02125-3393
tel 617-287-6572
fax 617-287-6650
http://www.cs.umb.edu/efg/
