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Lessons Learnt From FOAF: A Bottom-Up Approach To Social Networks

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/conferences/jisc-cetis-2005/. Lessons Learnt From FOAF: A Bottom-Up Approach To Social Networks. About This Talk

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Lessons Learnt From FOAF: A Bottom-Up Approach To Social Networks

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  1. http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/conferences/jisc-cetis-2005/http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/conferences/jisc-cetis-2005/ Lessons Learnt From FOAF: A Bottom-Up Approach To Social Networks About This Talk This talk introduces FOAF, describes the advantages & disadvantages of a grassroots approach to development and ponders on the wider implications. Brian Kelly UKOLN University of Bath Bath Email B.Kelly@ukoln.ac.uk UKOLN is supported by:

  2. Contents • Background – The Semantic Web • What Is FOAF? • Relevance Of FOAF To This Conference And Session • The Development Culture Behind FOAF • The Limitations • Wider Implications

  3. About The Semantic Web (1) • The Semantic Web: • Why is it needed?The Semantic Web is needed is order to provide a more structured Web in which resources can be brought together for a variety of purposes • What is it?The Semantic Web can be regarded as a global distributed database, which can be developed without central coordination

  4. About The Semantic Web (2) • The Semantic Web: • How is it done?The Semantic Web is an XML application which contains a simple mathematical model which defines relationships which are defined using a URI • What are the challenges?The Semantic Web is perceived as difficult to understand. These apparent difficulties provide a barrier to its deployment.

  5. knows Leigh Brian works at Brian UKOLN FOAF paper DC.Created by Leigh Has phone no. 01225 xxx Is It Difficult? • The mathematical model behind the Semantic Web is based on simple tuples, as illustrated The relationship ('knows' in this case) is defined at a URI Is this really conceptually difficult?

  6. Leigh's friend 1 My friend 1 Leigh, email, …location,interests friends Leigh's friend n My friend n FOAF – A Simple SW Application • FOAF: • Stands for "Friend Of A Friend" • Provides structured links about individuals • Information distributed & extensible • Avoids data protection concerns Me, email,work place, friends…

  7. Further information in my FOAF file Leigh's FOAF file, showing his additional information FOAF Example (1) A view of my FOAF file, showing links to my friends • FOAF Explorer - <http://xml.mfd-consult.dk/foaf/explorer/>

  8. FOAF Example (2) • FOAFNaut - <http://www.foafnaut.org/>

  9. My Aims • SW Promotion • Promote use of FOAF as a lightweight Semantic Web application • Enable people to be part of the Semantic Web • Community-Building • Use a FOAF application which supports community-building at events • Implementation • Joint work with local FOAF geek (Leigh Dodds) • Development of tools • Use of tools (at IWMW 2004) • Paper presented at IADIS WBC 2004

  10. Creating FOAF • Several types of FOAF authoring tools provided: • Do it by hand • Web-based tools • Dedicated tools • A Wiki (experimental)

  11. A FOAF Application • We've got : • Powerful standards (RDF/FOAF) • Simple authoring tools • What we need now is: • Application area to encourage uptake • Richer tools for data-mining • Application: • Who attended JISC-CETIS conf 2004? • Who's going to JISC-CETIS conf 2005? • Who's going and is interested in LIP, LOM, real ale, … • Background: • Addressed previously but application-specific 

  12. FOAFNaut FOAFNaut application is being extended to include visualisation of events data

  13. Review: FOAF And Events • We explored using events (conferences, seminars, etc.) to promote SW take-up: • Delegates often want to establish links with people they meet (cf. use of business cards) • Encouraging delegates to create their own data gets them motivated • This also avoids data protection concerns and places maintenance of individual • Use at technical conferences also provides: • Feedback • Opportunity to get developers engaged in further work

  14. XML 2004 What Next? • What can happen next: • Further promotion of this concept at other events • Encouragement for additional development: • Dedicated viewing tools • Search facilities • … Beyond Browsing Find we people who attended WBC 2004 and XML 2004 who have an interest in xxx Leigh Brian IADIS WBC 2004

  15. What Happened? • Take-up • Promoted at IWMW 2004 (flyer in pack) • But few delegates used (& they were the techies) • Technologies • FOAFNaut support for events has still not been included in main version • Wiki authoring tool hacked • People • Develop had other commitments

  16. Reflections • Some thoughts: • Privacy issues • Branding issues ('he's not my friend') • Getting beyond the early adopters • Is FOAF more appropriate back-stage (e.g. export format in Blogs)? • Do we want shrink-wrapped solutions (e.g. Orkut)? • Is the interest in the technology too far away from users' needs? • Has FOAF been a failure or a success?

  17. Discussion • Questions., comments, etc. welcome

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