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Re: [ontolog-forum] retitled: UCUM v. UnitsML

To: <edbark@xxxxxxxx>, "[ontolog-forum] " <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: 'George Percivall' <gpercivall@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, 'Clemens Portele' <portele@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, 'Raj Singh' <rsingh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: "Carl Reed" <creed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:01:16 -0600
Message-id: <B69F0CC16A35423EBF56760718CC827F@CarlandSusieOf>
Hmmm -    (01)

Interesting. Just to add some additional info:    (02)

UCUM is referenced in numerous OGC standards that are now also ISO 
standards.
The OGC and the UCUM organization have been working a mutual memorandum of 
understanding in which UCUM will be submitted to the OGC to become an 
international standard.    (03)

So, if there is some perceived "standards" conflict, I would like to resolve 
this sooner than later. I hate to see conflicting or duplicate standards. 
Leads to all kinds of silliness - confusion - and frustration in the 
implementers community.    (04)

One of my roles in the OGC is harmonization of standards activities related 
to OGC work across SDOs    (05)

I am open to suggestions!    (06)

Thanks    (07)

Carl    (08)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ed Barkmeyer" <edbark@xxxxxxxx>
To: "[ontolog-forum]" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "'George Percivall'" <gpercivall@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "'Raj Singh'" 
<rsingh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "'Clemens Portele'" 
<portele@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:15 AM
Subject: Re: [ontolog-forum] retitled: UCUM v. UnitsML    (09)


> Cecil Lynch wrote:
>> UCUM is the standard required for expression of units of measure in HL7
>> messages (the health domain). As such, it is by default, the HITSP 
>> standard
>> for units of measure since HITSP has adopted HL7 as the messaging syntax 
>> for
>> the US. UnitsML is a markup language for the XML expression of units of
>> measure, which would include UCUM, but other units of measure as well.
>>
>> Cecil lynch
>
> First, this is a standards politics and alignment issue that is only of
> passing interest in formulating a UoM ontology -- both of these
> standards are sources of knowledge and requirements for us.  But, as I
> standards politician ;-), I would like to see this issue addressed
> somewhere.
>
> Second, I'm glad Carl thinks this is a clarification.  I am a bit
> denser.  I don't see what distinction is being made in the above:
>  UCUM is the standard required for expression of units of measure
> versus:
>  UnitsML is a markup language for the XML expression of units of
> measure
>
> Is UCUM standardized by HL7?  The UCUM website doesn't identify it as
> having been adopted by any open standardization process, and doesn't
> aver that it is a standard.  It says:
>  "The Unified Code for Units of Measure is a code system intended to
> include all units of measures being contemporarily used in international
> science, engineering, and business. The purpose is to facilitate
> unambiguous electronic communication of quantities together with their
> units."
> and it goes on to talk about what it is compatible with.  If it has been
> adopted as a standard by HL7, the website should be clear on that point
> and provide the HL7 identifier.
>
> UnitsML is not a standard; it is a draft standard of a 3-year-old OASIS
> TC.  The website says:
>  "UnitsML will enable markup of scientific units to allow unambiguous
> storage, exchange, and processing of numeric data. The project has three
> components:
> • UnitsML - an XML schema
> • UnitsDB - a database containing detailed information on scientific
> units of measure
> • Tools - to facilitate the incorporation of UnitsML into other markup
> languages"
>
> I don't see how UnitsML "would include UCUM, but other units of measure
> as well."  The UnitsML database will presumably include the standard
> units of measure for which UCUM specifies a different XML
> representation.  Perhaps the OASIS UnitsDB will provide tooling to
> resolve UCUM URIs to UnitsML URIs and the corresponding UnitsDB entries?
>  Perhaps UCUM allows a reference to a unit to have an associated href
> that could be the UnitsML/UnitsDB URI?  Are these groups working
> together to make anything useful happen?
>
> I'm a poor standards politician.  I like my clarifications to be clear.
>
>
> Third, I did appreciate the subject line:
>  "Re: [ontolog-forum] [SPAM] ..."  ;-)
>
> And finally, see the disclaimer below.  (UnitsML is a NIST-led activity.
>  I don't speak for NIST in that area.)
>
> -Ed
>
> "That was a Rohrschach statement.  You got to see your model in what he
> said, and I got to see mine."
>   -- Bruce Ambler
>
> -- 
> Edward J. Barkmeyer                        Email: edbark@xxxxxxxx
> National Institute of Standards & Technology
> Manufacturing Systems Integration Division
> 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8263                Tel: +1 301-975-3528
> Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8263                FAX: +1 301-975-4694
>
> "The opinions expressed above do not reflect consensus of NIST,
>  and have not been reviewed by any Government authority."
>
>
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>     (010)


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