TABLE OF CONTENTS Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web and many of the standards we now take for granted, such as hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), hypertext markup language (HTML), and universal resource locators (URLs). So when Berners-Lee says the Semantic Web is the next big thing, many people take notice.
Several of the foundational technologies behind the Semantic Web have been funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) [105] under the aegis of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The W3C describes the Semantic Web as "an extension of the current web in which information is given well-defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation." [106] That sounds pretty good. But unless you are deeply involved in this technology, trying to find out a bit more is a challenge. Most of the material on the Web, [107] [108] [109] and the few books written on the subject, [110] focus on the technologies needed to make this happen.
Although these are essential, this has led to a perception that the Semantic Web is an academic exercise.
In this chapter I'd like to paint the Semantic Web as the logical extension of what I believe is a tidal shift in the emphasis in information processing. We will describe the proposed technology, because not to do so would leave us with nothing but arm waving and blue sky projections. I will try to make the technology understandable by focusing on a few key aspects and...
