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Re: [ontolog-forum] Practical onomastics...

To: "[ontolog-forum]" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Doug McDavid <dougmcdavid@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 09:47:29 -0800
Message-id: <AANLkTimBRwh7DBlMzU_ROaHi7iGIbx_0RlIhkkQ39Kro@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
You're welcome, Rich, and thanks for taking the comments in the spirit offered.  It's funny, because I projected the idea of robots (and in particular the "lead robot") to indicate that the tubes contained something hazardous (nuclear or medical samples, e.g.), in which case the particularity would be paramount.  But I could also envision the loading dock to inventory of roughly or exactly interchangeable parts.  

The underlying reason for my reply is that I am somewhat alert to issues of ontological methodology in practice.  A few of us were trying to discuss this, and even proposed an annex to this ListServe to devote to that.  But that discussion was sideswiped by a bunch of theoretical chat that overwhelmed that moment.

Methodology is more than representation and tools, and I think John's question is a great set-up for such considerations.

Cheers!

Doug

On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 9:38 AM, Rich Cooper <rich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Doug,

 

No, you’re not out of line, and yes, I projected a lot of expectations onto his problem statement.  Based on my experience with that kind of data tracking, I still think I have identified significant issues that he needs to think about to determine when and how naming should be done.  But lets both wait for his response to see which of us is closer to the mark.  

 

He asked for comments about naming considerations, so that was what I gave back. 

 

But thanks for pointing out my projections of context – you are certainly correct about that.  I, like everyone else here, project my own expectations onto everything I experience.  There’s time to think about the echoes when they return.  (Sorry for the old sonar metaphor – it just slipped out.) 

 

-Rich

 

Sincerely,

Rich Cooper

EnglishLogicKernel.com

Rich AT EnglishLogicKernel DOT com

9 4 9 \ 5 2 5 - 5 7 1 2


From: ontolog-forum-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ontolog-forum-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Doug McDavid
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 10:16 AM


To: [ontolog-forum]
Subject: Re: [ontolog-forum] Practical onomastics...

 

Rich, how do you know so much about John's problem domain?  Are you working together?  If not, I think that lots of assumptions underlie both your reply and Matthew's, leading in both cases to unwarranted confidence (in opposite directions).  If you and John are working together such that you are already a deep expert in the particularities, I apologize for being out of line.

On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 8:44 AM, Rich Cooper <rich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Matthew,

You need to know more about how the tubes are received, used, tracked,
replaced and removed.

That delayed naming approach simply makes naming of the test tubes more
complicated.  They still have to have unique identifiers when, and if, they
are related elsewhere in the database to specific usage, contents or
experiments unique to each test tube.  So what you are asking is if it is
practical to delay naming each tube until it is committed to an activity.

Ideally, the tubes in the box have unique identifiers attached (marked,
labeled ...) to each tube when they are received in the box.  That way, each
tube can be uniquely named in the database as soon as it enters inventory as
one item in a box.  There are no delayed naming events with that second
approach - everything is defined immediately when the box of tubes is
accepted by the inventory receiving department.  The advantage is that data
analysis can track every tube's motions through the processing steps,
including inventory shrinkage effects, with simpler tracking methods.

Otherwise, (if the tubes are named only when they are individually removed
from the box and then used for a specific purpose) you have to distinguish
the tube from the box at a consumption event, and track both box and tube.
The box has to be tracked until it later gets expanded into the entire
plurality of uniquely identified tubes.  Knowing when to track tubes as a
box, and when to track them as individual tubes, makes everything more
complicated.

Also, the "name" is more likely a stylized, partly numeric identifier with
prefix or suffix depending on the supplier, usage, tube properties, or
intended experimental usage.  So the "name" in this case could be compound
and even complicated by those other considerations.

-Rich

Sincerely,
Rich Cooper
EnglishLogicKernel.com
Rich AT EnglishLogicKernel DOT com
9 4 9 \ 5 2 5 - 5 7 1 2


-----Original Message-----
From: ontolog-forum-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ontolog-forum-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Matthew West
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 9:25 AM
To: '[ontolog-forum] '
Subject: Re: [ontolog-forum] Practical onomastics...

Dear John,

> For your considerations:
>
> A shipment of test tubes has arrived at the lab and the head
> robot has taken possession of the box. There are a gross in the
> cardboard box which has an assigned UI to facilitate shipping.
>
> Each (other) robot will receive a dozen test tubes for their work
> tomorrow.
>
> What are the practical naming and entailed support considerations
> for each test tube?

MW: I suggest not naming the test tubes individually at all. The different
test tubes are presumably indistinguishable from each other, and so it is
unlikely that you would care which particular one was used for some purpose,
or which one precisely it was that was dropped and broken, you just have one
less.

Regards

Matthew West
Information  Junction
Tel: +44 560 302 3685
Mobile: +44 750 3385279
matthew.west@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.informationjunction.co.uk/
http://www.matthew-west.org.uk/

This email originates from Information Junction Ltd. Registered in England
and Wales No. 6632177.
Registered office: 2 Brookside, Meadow Way, Letchworth Garden City,
Hertfordshire, SG6 3JE.



>
> -John Bottoms
>   FirstStar Systems
>   Concord, MA
>   T: 978-505-9878
>
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