Barry and Pat, (01)
The word 'science' is not an honorific that implies truth. The
majority of publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals
become obsolete within a few years after publication. (02)
Furthermore, the term 'standard' applies to engineering artifacts,
not to scientific theories. The purpose of a standard is to stabilize
an engineering design at a stage where it can provide a fixed,
reliable platform for the development of products and applications. (03)
A fixed design, however, is an obstacle to innovation in the platform
itself, although it is valuable for promoting innovation in applications
that use the platform. In order to support fundamental research while
providing a stable platform for applications, it's important to
recognize that engineering, not science requires standards. (04)
BS> Biologists like easy ways. Also biologists need guidelines as to
> what they should be doing when they first recognize the need for
> ontologies. Alternatives (drive on the right; drive on the left;
> it's up to you) defeat this need. (05)
Are you talking about biologists doing pure science, or biologists
doing applied science (engineering)? The pure scientists should not
be restricted by any constraints by standards committees of any kind.
The engineers, however, must abide by standards that determine how
their products fit with products designed by other engineers. (06)
(And by the way, the terms 'pure' and 'applied' should not be
considered honorifics. For many, or perhaps most, purposes
applied science or engineering is more valuable.) (07)
The OOR resides in an ambiguous position between science and
engineering. For scientific purposes, it should be open to all
submissions, but for engineering purposes, it should support
some methodology for developing standards. (08)
But the question is who should develop the standards? The OOR?
Or engineering organizations that are closest to the applications? (09)
John (010)
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