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Re: [ontolog-forum] Ontology similarity and accurate communication

To: <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: <matthew.west@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:41:07 -0000
Message-id: <808637A57BC3454FA660801A3995FA8F06A2CFBD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Dear John and Pat H.,    (01)

> >In other words, all the axioms are at the task level, and each
> >message sent between systems identifies what ontology is assumed.
> 
> I agree that makes a certain sense, but Im less sanguine than you are 
> about being able to neatly express relationships between ontologies. 
> Not that such relations are impossible, but I think they will will be 
> messier and more tangled, as Mala says in her recent message. Which 
> is not necessarily a problem or something to avoid, just something we 
> should be ready for.    (02)

MW: I agree with Pat here, that just encouraging an unlimited number of
ontologies and saying we will map between them, is perhaps where we are
headed at the moment, but it is an expensive direction to take. My best
hope at the moment is to encourage convergence onto a limited number
of ontologies - say 10 or so. They would have clearly stated foundations
where the differences would be known and understood, and mappings could
be provided. I think several is good, because that provides a market,
which will help to drive improvement. It might also be that some die,
and others are born.    (03)

MW: I'm afraid I do not agree with Pat C at all. I have spent much of
my life doing business analaysis for systems design, and reviewing
data models produced by others. I am always surprised at just how
different (and usually limited) peoples mental models are. I have yet 
to see two data models of the same application look the same except by 
cut and paste.    (04)

Regards    (05)

Matthew West
Reference Data Architecture and Standards Manager
Shell International Petroleum Company Limited
Registered in England and Wales
Registered number: 621148
Registered office: Shell Centre, London SE1 7NA, United Kingdom    (06)

Tel: +44 20 7934 4490 Mobile: +44 7796 336538
Email: matthew.west@xxxxxxxxx
http://www.shell.com
http://www.matthew-west.org.uk/    (07)


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