Vocabulary: Ontology

[Rob Seaman]

Hi Matthew,

>> the VO should only adopt a technology if it brings significant  
>> benefit to one or more projects (in general, to more than one VO  
>> project).  The familiar mantra applies of optimizing performance,  
>> cost and schedule - and of mitigating risks.  If RDF speeds  
>> design, implementation, deployment or maintenance for the same  
>> cost - or if RDF adds new performance opportunities - or if the VO  
>> can buy the same functionality for less money - or if extreme  
>> areas of risk are avoided - then RDF will naturally find a niche.

> I agree with the caveat that the VO should not reinvent the wheel  
> just for the sake of it when there is a perfectly good one being  
> used by the rest of the world.

I'm confident that a better case than this can be made.  Few  
arguments are won by pointing out that option B is not discernibly  
better in any metric than option A:

	http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/world/2007/09/11/D8RJAAR01_metric_mess/ 
index.html

I'll buy you a pint in Cambridge.

- Rob