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Re: [ontolog-forum] Next steps in using ontologies as standards

To: "[ontolog-forum]" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "[ontolog-forum]" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, janez.potocnik@xxxxxxxxxxxx
From: creed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 17:59:56 -0500 (EST)
Message-id: <49512.71.208.241.172.1231282796.squirrel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Interesting dialogue.    (01)

In order to better define, test, and evolve our standards, the OGC uses a
test bed process. This rapid engineering design, build, test process
definitely improves the quality of a candidate standard before it comes
into the OGC standards process, where a formal process involving
committees takes place. Once a standard is approved, that standard  most
likely again get stress tested in an OGC test bed or pilot. Really helps
mature the standards!    (02)

Regards    (03)

Carl Reed
CTO    (04)


> Azamat,
>
> I have some concerns about such pronouncements, which sound good
> on the surface:
>
>  > I hold with Ravi that it is a great undertaking. Though to
>  > become such, the initiative needs deliberate planning...
>  >
>  > the Forum has time to debate and decide on a principal matter:
>  > which general world model is most fitting to science, arts,
>  > technology, commerce and industry, to conclude if "Standard
>  > Ontology: a single malt or blended".
>
> The standards that have proved to be the most valuable in practice
> have been based on successful technologies that many independent
> groups have adopted, used, developed, and extended on major
> applications.  In most cases, those standards started with a
> successful implementation (e.g., SQL or HTML), polished up the
> rough edges, made it more systematic, and added new features.
>
> About 20 years ago, some people working on standards got the idea
> that it would be good for the standards organizations to take a
> "proactive" stance in developing and promoting cleaner, more
> elegant systems that take advantage of the latest theories and
> practices.  But the results have been decidedly "mixed".
>
> I once thought that "proactive standards" seemed promising,
> but after observing many attempts, I have very serious doubts.
> Among the problems with proactive standards is that they are
> inevitably designed by committees.  The basic strength *and*
> weakness of a committee is the diversity of people with
> different backgrounds, views, and requirements.  That gives
> them great strength in *evaluating* proposals from many
> different points of view.  But it also means that committees
> inevitably have "too many cooks" who "spoil the broth" when
> they try to do the design.
>
> I don't believe that any proposed system should be adopted as
> a standard until *after* there has been a considerable amount
> of experience in using and testing it on a wide range of
> practical applications.  Instead of "deliberate planning",
> we need extensive testing, comparison, and evaluation of
> proposed alternatives on major applications.
>
> John
>
>
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>    (05)



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