Re: [office-metadata] Enhanced Searching Proposal

[Bruce D'Arcus <bdarcus@gmail.com>]

On Nov 15, 2006, at 9:59 AM, Patrick Durusau wrote:

> First, I don't think we should constrain the metadata that is being  
> used to enhance searching just as we should not determine the  
> nature of the enhancement by metadata for searching. Different  
> metadata schemes will offer different enhancements for searching of  
> the underlying data just as search engines may use that metadata  
> differently and I don't think the Metadata SC nor the ODF TC  
> possess the knowledge to proscribe how that should be done. It is  
> sufficient that we provide the ability to enhance searching by the  
> use of metadata and no more.

Well, depends what you mean by "metadata" (or "model" farther down).  
We have a requirement that we specify a formal metadata model, so I  
don't think that's up for further discussion.

On vocobularies, absolutely we can't restrict. But I do think we need  
to seriously consider including some default options for developers  
(like we already do in fact). Giving people a model without the  
building blocks to use it will likely be a non-starter.

> Second, given that terms or phrases will occur in multiple  
> locations in a document, as far as identification of those terms or  
> phrases that may occur in a document, it seems that use of any URI/ 
> IRI based model would be overly restrictive.

Not really "restrictive"; more like verbose/redundant?

> It should be sufficient to identify the term or phrase (when there  
> is no pointing out of document content) by use of a string value.  
> Any properties associated with that particular string value should  
> adhere to the current ODF model of name/value pairs.

Sounds reasonable to me.

> This need not be seen as a departure from the general use of an RDF  
> data model as any metadata wishing to use that model can simply  
> include the term or phrase plus a URI/IRI as one of the properties  
> and can be viewed by RDF based applications as RDF.
>
> Note that I have no beef with anyone who wants to use RDF as a  
> search enhancement mechanism but on the other hand, don't want to  
> limit ODF to that being the only data model that can be used to  
> enhance searches.

Patrick, I've been repeatedly saying this: there is nothing that  
precludes people from using any XML they want today, with ODF 1.0. So  
how is offering the option to use a standard model (RDF) in any way  
changing that? It's an enhancement; nothing more.

> The ODF committee lacks the expertise to draft such vocabularies or  
> to provide guidance on their best use but have provided the means  
> to enable users to provide that information for use by search engines.

+1, with the caveat I mentioned up top.

Bruce