Ralph Hodgson

Making panoramics

I have discovered 'AutoStitch', described as "the world's first fully automatic 2D image stitcher. Capable of stitching full view panoramas without any user input whatsoever, AutoStitch is a breakthrough technology for panoramic photography, VR and visualisation applications".

AutoStitch is built using research from the AI lab at UBC, for more, go to http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~mbrown/autostitch/autostitch.html

One of my images is here.

The many faces of MDA

Model-Driven Architecture is being spoken about in a number of ways:

1. MDA as UML-based Executable Solutions
2. MDA as MOF-Generated Applications
3. MDA as DSL-based layered architectures
4. MDA as anything that is model-based

MDA as UML-based executable solutions is exemplified by Digital Harbor's PiiE productm see InfoWorld''s article on Digital Harbor "Corporate dashboards, easy as PiiE"

Semantic Technology is going to have an interesting impact on all of this.

It's probably good for software developers that there are so many cultures in Software Engineering but confusing to say the least for business people.

Which way for rules?

The Semantic Web community and interested parties met recently in Washington, DC at a workshop "W3C Workshop on Rule Languages for Interoperability".  There was quite a range of views ranging from the purist to the pragmatic. See the W3C website pages for attendees and position papers.

Ontology Unplugged

The question comes up many times, "What is Ontology?". Here's what some have said:

1. midiblog
2. Gruber
3. Sowa
4. Noy and McGuinness

Semantic Objects

I am witnesssing a re-awaking of the Object Knights of the "time before Java". Semantic Web Technologies are causing a re-think of how we should "Model the World in Objects". OWL is allowing us to consider new ways of holding domain knowledge at run-time.

In TopQuadrant we are calling this new trend "Semantic Objects".  The Model Driven Architecture (MDA) community may soon find itself re-thinking MOF and XMI. 

Ontology-Driven Architecture (ODA) is how the W3C post is talking about this in a recent posting: Ontology Driven Architectures and Potential Uses of the Semantic Web in Software Engineering

Collaborative Bookmarks

What happens when you share your bookmarks along with tagging? Something quite interesting, although a little primitive. Check out http://del.icio.us/. Gets to be quite addictive - some of my bookmarks are here - http://del.icio.us/ralphtq. 

An idea just waiting to blossom into a semantic web application.

del.icio.us was discovered in an article in BusinessWeek Online. See also an article in the Wall Street Journal on 'tagging'.

OWL News

XML Schema Types in OWL and RDF, some recent postings:

1. Danny Ayers
2. W3C

A new mailing list,  with an RSS feed, has been announced at W3C for tools and techniques for using the OWL Language.

RDF for XMLers

Edd Dumbill on "Choosing XML or RDF"

Also Semantic Web One-On-One

Bringing art and technology together

Has always interested me.

I just got this wonderful link from the RSS feed: Semantic Web Interest Group IRC Scratchpad - soundtoys.net

Are blogs changing the web?

I have been looking at the use of RSS and blogs recently. What I am seeing is a shift in how we might use the web. Too soon to call this one small step towards the semantic web - but maybe not.  I am already having ideas on how to put more semantics behind blogs and RSS.

See also:

UK Sunday Time January 30th article: "All your web wishes at one click"