It sounds like we have lots of fun discussion for the Scheme Harmonization
Working Group which Carl and I are co-chairing precisely to work out these
issues and develop a way forward. I'll look forward to continuing this
there...
David
At 11:27 AM 1/22/99 -0500, R. Wendler wrote:
>Oh, boy. This really points out the problem. Carl is right -- by
>considering metadata to be a resource in its own right (which I
>thought we did), we acknowledge that its characteristics as an
>information resource can be described in turn.
>
>What David describes is trying to shoehorn the description of the
>metadata into the metadata itself, something that the 15 DC elements do
>not provide for. Using Relation to point, not to another information
>resource, but to *this* resource's creator is clearly a kludge. We
>should resist the temptation, because IF Relation can be used, in effect,
>to define new elements, there will be no end to the kinds of Relations
>we can concoct.
>
>This is not exactly the same case, to my mind, as the 1:1
>problem -- or at least the 1:1 problem that I care about. The
>information resource and its metadata are a different case than
>instantiations/transformations/versions/what-have-you of an information
>resource. What I thought 1:1 was did not involve new data elements, or
>even new qualifiers. 1:1 is troublesome enough without bringing the
>relationship between the description of content and the description of
>description into it.
>
>--Robin
>
> "I guess this wouldn't be good time for me to suggest we all
> join hands and sing Kumbaya?"
> --Babylon 5
>
>On Fri, 22 Jan 1999, David Bearman wrote:
>
>> Dear Paul,
>> As you know, this is why we had the 1:1 rule.
>> If the DC metadata set describes the book, the relation element might point
>> to a metadata author.
>> If the metadata set describes the cataloging, its creator is the metadata
>> author.
>> Both are possible. But in the ook metadata set, we have no other way to
>> record the metadata author now.
>> David
>>
>> At 03:21 PM 1/22/99 +0000, Paul Miller wrote:
>> >On Fri, 22 Jan 1999, David Bearman wrote:
>> >
>> >> If I create DC metadata for a book, the creator element, according to
our
>> >> definition, references the book.
>> >
>> >True. But Carl's right as well, in that the line between 'metadata' and
>> >'resource' is rarely as clear as in the catalogue record/book example you
>> >give.
>> >
>> >A museum collections management record, for example, is metadata for an
>> >object in the collection. It's also a creative work (of fiction, in some
>> >cases...! ;-) ) in its own right.
>> >
>> >In the fuzzy, hazy, world in which we operate, where _I_ certainly would
>> >be hard-pressed to definitively label any of my stuff as a 'resource' or
>> >'metadata', it is, perhaps, easier to consider the single concept of a
>> >creator (or agent, or whatever) of 'stuff' (to steal terms from Godfrey).
>> >
>> >If I, Paul Miller, am describing a BOOK by Carl Lagoze, the Creator is
>> >Carl Lagoze. If I, Paul Miller, am describing the catalogue record for
>> >that book by David Bearman, then the Creator is David Bearman.
>> >
>> >I've not had to decide whether or not I'm describing 'data' or 'metadata'
>> >(because both book and record are in some cases 'data' and in others
>> >'metadata', depending upon perspective), and use of Title and other
>> >elements allows unambiguous identification of that which I'm describing
>> >('Carl's great book' or 'Dave's Catalogue record of "Carl's great book"').
>> >
>> >Paul
>> >
>> > -- dr. paul miller - interoperability focus - [log in to unmask] --
>> > u. k. office for library and information networking (ukoln)
>> > tel: +44 (0)1482 466890 fax: +44 (0)1482 465531
>> > ---------------------------- http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/interop-focus/ --
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> David Bearman
>> President
>> Archives & Museum Informatics
>> 2008 Murray Ave, Suite D
>> Pittsburgh, PA 15217 USA
>> Phone: +1 412 422 8530
>> Fax: +1 412 422 8594
>> [log in to unmask]
>> http://www.archimuse.com
>>
>
>Robin Wendler ........................ work (617) 495-3724
>Office for Information Systems ....... fax (617) 495-0491
>Harvard University Library ........... [log in to unmask]
>Cambridge, MA, USA 02138 .............
>
>
>
David Bearman
President
Archives & Museum Informatics
2008 Murray Ave, Suite D
Pittsburgh, PA 15217 USA
Phone: +1 412 422 8530
Fax: +1 412 422 8594
[log in to unmask]
http://www.archimuse.com
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