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Showing posts from October, 2005

Why Not a New Format?

Thinking about what is keeping RDF from wider adoption, I keep coming back to the fact that the serialization is, well, too complex. Why hasn't anyone stepped up to propose a XML syntax that plays well with the thousands of XML tools out there? Let the XML folk say, "I can for the simple syntax, I stayed for the powerful model." The RDF people out there always chant, "It's the model, stupid!" Yes, indeed, and what a simple, powerful, and scalable model it is. It's certainly why people latch onto RDF. The model is RDF's selling point. However, to get it adopted, it's the serialization that must be refactored. People are used to "Right click, view source", and the only way that will work in the semantic web is if the XML for RDF is simple and consistent and predictable . The fact that the same RDF model can be serialized into numerous different, yet semantically equivalent, is enough to drive anyone away. This is a serious bug w