Data and services

[Ray Plante]

On Fri, 12 Sep 2003, Robert Hanisch wrote:
> > A sky service is a service which provides access to a data collection.

> I would prefer to not use "sky service" -- not all of astronomy is about the
> sky.  (Really!)  For example, we would want collections of spectral line
> identifications, oscillator strengths, etc., available as VO resources as
> well.  I think the term "data service" is logically more consistent.

I'm good with "data service", but I should clarify something.  The 
"SkyService" resource is distinguished from a generic service in that it 
has "Coverage".  That is, the data maps somehow to the sky, frequency, 
and/or time.  So a question is, should a "data service" be defined such 
that it is *required* to map to at least one of the three?  Or should the 
definition be broader than that, making "Coverage" optional.  

I like accepting Tony's definition, substituting "sky" with "data", and 
making "Coverage" optional.  

cheers,
Ray