version management of OSLC specifications

[Axel Reichwein <axel.reichwein@koneksys.com>]

Hello OSLC Core,

I have a technical question concerning the version management of OSLC specifications. In the OMG OSLC4MBSE working group, which I co-chair, we are currently implementing a mapping from SysML into OSLC resource shapes. As multiple versions of SysML (1.3, 1.4, etc...) exist, we are facing a problem with dealing with multiple versions of corresponding OSLC Resource shapes.

Typically, an RDF resource description includes a reference to a resource type URI (e.g. the OSLC resource shape URI). Since the semantics and constraints imposed on SysML elements can vary from version to version, we think that we need to include in the resource description of a SysML element a reference to the version-specific resource type URI (e.g. http://www.omg.org/sysml/block/1.3) . On the other hand, we also think that it is necessary to have a generic resource type URI (e.g. http://www.omg.org/sysml/block) which identifies the concept independent of any specific version since there will be web clients which are not interested in knowing the specific version of a resource type. Our current idea is to include in the resource description of a SysML element a reference to the generic resource type URI as well as the version-specific resource type URI. This would allow web clients to very easily know the version-specific type URI as well as the generic type URI.

As we are interested in adopting an approach which is aligned with other OSLC specifications, I would like to know your perspective on this issue. I have cc'ed Parham Vasaiely from Airbus and James Conallen from IBM who have participated in our OSLC4MBSE discussions. They may reformulate our approach if I haven't expressed the concern clearly enough.

Best regards,
Axel

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Axel Reichwein, PhD
CEO | Koneksys
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