Semantic web

Introduction

The semantic web, as defined by web creator Tim Berners-Lee, is “a data network, in a way like a global database” (Berners-Lee, 1998). To go deeper, Mr. Berners-Lee explains in an interview conducted by IDG Now, data is expressed on computers as files associated with applications that deal specifically with information, an example would be, data in calendars, banking systems, spreadsheets and database application. . When looking at a web page, the data is not clearly defined and is not associated with any of the applications normally found on computers. The semantic web will allow data to interact and connect with each other; it will bring a common data format for all applications, both for databases and web pages (Moon, 1999). The semantic web is not about building an artificial intelligence system that allows computers to understand what humans write on web pages; rather, it is an attempt to make web pages more understandable and better defined to support automatic data extraction from web content (Berners-Lee, 1998).

Analysis

The emergence of the web and the way HTML took off was driven by the way society needed to grow, from chatting on the Internet to transferring files to high-level communities via blogs and wiki. HTML was not limited to web content, the knowledge base and help files adapted the language as a format for documenting software applications and providing training material. The revolution in Internet technologies allowed companies like Google to index pages; a thought that was a long way off, says Tim Berners-Lee in his lecture at MIT. Web services have evolved to pave the way for distributed information and modular programming that enables interoperability between sites. Through XML, data from one site can be used by another using common protocols and standards supported by both (Berners-Lee, 1998). XML defines schemas that deal with data fields, what is required is a system that can tell the computer what kind of information (data) it can derive within a page (Moon, 1999). With Web 3.0, a site will provide data that can be navigated and extracted from multiple sites, this is the result of the fact that the data model of the semantic web is closely related to a relational database where data records share fields common elements that connect them to each other (Berners-Lee, 1998).

The solution provided to support the semantic web is in the form of metadata that describes the data contained in the web pages. Resource Description Framework (RDF) is a foundation for managing metadata; it is the terrain that computers can use to exchange and interact with applications on the Web (W3C RFC, 1999). Applications for RDF include digital libraries, online catalogs, and indexing systems that are generally associated with the content and content relationship models implemented on most web pages. With the RDF data within the commercial portals, it will be analyzed and identified as resources, properties or transparent declarations to the domain, in addition, the specifications will be merged with other documents to include a class framework. Classes organized as a hierarchy included a schema that can be reused as metadata definitions across multiple platforms. Resources created in this hierarchy can be identified by a resource identifier (URI), which allows a document delivered to a machine with this identification to be recognized by the system and triggers it to excavate and find similar data (Berners-Lee, 1998 ).

Transcendence

The semantic web can be the solution to overcome the limitations of current information management systems to find and extract data from unorganized resources. RDF is intended to describe any data regardless of its character, location, source or type, the concept of URI is richer to uniquely identify any object on the web (Berners-Lee, 1998). The pillars of the semantic web are the common standards and protocols that are the bases for the representation of knowledge; HTML, RDF, the data language resource description web ontology language (OWL) that describes to the machine what is happening, in addition to RDF1, which is a query language to facilitate cross-machine queries, will emerge and collaborate to incorporate more to the web and smarter programs that will bring the Internet closer (Cleave, 2004).

The current research and implementation of the Abilene network and Next Generation Internet (NGI) Internet 2 of the high-performance backbone that connects leading universities and research labs in the US is a good foundation for what the semantic web can and does represent the perfect platform. for network computing, digital libraries, virtual labs and distance learning (Abilene, Internet2). Internet2 or I2 was developed by a group of universities in 1996, providing improved connectivity standards to reach 10 gbps (gigabits per second). With more than 227 universities and libraries connected, network-based applications and experimental programs can run on this high-bandwidth connection network using the latest Gigabit Ethernet technology and the IP version 6 protocol (Reardon, 2004). The standards of the semantic web can be the foundation of the material and data distributed on this network, providing the best testing platform to explore the full potential and what can be achieved.

Conclution

Tim Berners-Lee believes that with Web 3.0 we can be successful and great things can happen, but the infrastructure must be built, privacy and security laws must be reviewed and respected, and the Web must remain open for researchers to Allow Upgrading and continuous development. The semantic web will be launched when individuals materialize the need to work in data processing and think about collaborating their data, with the information of the company and that of the government (Moon, 1999).

References:

1. Berners-Lee, Tim. 1998. Roadmap of the Semantic Web. W3C team. (October 14, 1998) http://www.w3.org DesignIssues / Semantic (accessed July 16, 2007)
2. Luna, Peter. 1999. The future of the Web seen by its creator. IT World IDG Now (July 7, 1999) http://www.itworld.com/Tech/4535/070709future/ (accessed July 14, 2007)
3. W3C RFC. 1999. Model Resource Description Framework (RDF) and Syntax Specification. W3 Consortium (January 5, 1999) http://www.w3.org/TR/PR-rdf-syntax/ (accessed July 20, 2007)
4. Cleave, Kenith Van. 2004. Practical Database Experience from Regis University. Regis University. (November 14, 2004) http: // trackit.arn.regis.edu/dba/Thesis%2520Papers/ kvancleave_2004Bfinalreport_20041118.pdf (accessed July 16, 2007)
5. Abilene, Internet2. http://www.internet2.edu/annualreport/2003/page06.html (accessed July 17, 2007)
6. Reardon, Marguerite. 2004. Internet2: 2004 and beyond. CNET, News (August 24, 2004) http: // news.com.com/2100-1034_3-5321053.html (accessed July 19, 2007)