Is a Semantic Web in Your Future?

Posted by Daly de Gagne
Oct 8, 2008 at 10:23 PM

An alternate title for this post could have been Freebasing with the Twine That Binds.

Many of us here started with the first out lining programs, and followed the progression of software as it became, at least in theory, able to do more, such as provide for meta-data, advanced searches, etc. And also there’s more recently the plethora of mind and concept mapping programs that are, again in theory, promoted as being more helpful than out liners.

A further progression takes us into the realms of social networking and the semantic web, neither of which I am sure I understand fully.

In an article a year ago called the New Era of Semantic Webs there was an overview offered of some of the software under development http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the_new_era_of_semantic_apps.php , including something called Twine.

Twine http://www.twine.com/ is in beta, and is now accepting registrations, which lead to an invitation to participate in the program as it evolves.

The article also noted Freebase http://www.freebase.com/ which appears to be a similar kind of program, Freebase defines itself “an open, shared database of the world’s knowledge,” declares itself to be in alpha phase, and is accepting registrations.

Rather than try to say more about what I am now trying to figure out for myself, you may find it worthwhile to check out the above urls. If you are wiki inclined, the concepts may come more readily than they do to someone, such as myself, who has not really warmed up to wiki. The point here, I think, is that the programs are designed to expose or reveal the underlying connections among individuals, ideas, places, events, etc. in a manner that reflects each individual user’s interests and information collection.

Why write about this today, given that some of the material is a year old?

I made the connection because of an article that appeared today, The Future of Mind Mapping Software , at http://mindmappingsoftwareblog.com/the-future-of-mind-mapping-software/ . The article is by Chuck Frey, who has a regular email newsletter and mind mapping blog http://mindmappingsoftwareblog.com/ that I have found very useful.

I am reminded, when reading about Twine and Freebase, of Eric Sommer’s vision of ADM being a world-wide outline. While I maintain that ADM was, and still is, among the top out liners, the out line metaphor may not have been the best one for realizing Eric’s vision, although as a front-end for structuring information a person has in programs such Twine and Freebasem it may be appropriate—and this is an assumption on my part, given that I have yet to register at these two programs, and am just going on the basis of what I have seen written about them.

Daly