David Price wrote:
> I don't think this is going to be, or should be, a "cooperative
> development" in the way that Joel seems to suggest. In the proposed plan
> there are only one or two editors who actually modify the ontologies.
> Everyone else develops issues which are discussed and if accepted that
> are implemented by the editors. This is a "standards-making 101"
> methodology, along the lines of what happens in OMG and ISO, which I
> fully support. So, my view is that this process really isn't very much
> like software development at all. (01)
I agree, precisely because I learned this in Standards-making 101.
(But I don't think David and I went to the same school until 1990.) ;-) (02)
But I do want to agree with Joel Bender's point. We are doing knowledge
engineering and that IS software development. The resulting product --
the formal ontologies -- is the equivalent of a program for a reasoning
engine. Further, there is value to ensuring that at least some 'stable
editions' of the ontologies are syntactically valid and consistent, and
whatever other regression tests we may be able to impose. That is, we
want to ensure that those versions of the ontology are useable, that
they "run". (03)
We probably don't want to do this as open-source development. We will,
however, want a contribution space for exchange of contributions and
comments and interim drafts, and we will want an issue tracking system. (04)
Joel volunteered to manage some such resources for us. Another lesson
from standards making 101: never let a volunteer go unused. ;-)
What is it we really want him to do? (05)
-Ed (06)
--
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 (07)
"The opinions expressed above do not reflect consensus of NIST,
and have not been reviewed by any Government authority." (08)
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