What an Old Dictionary teaches us about Metadata by Jim Harris.
From the post:
Spelling, pronunciation, and examples of usage are included in the dictionary definition of a word, which is a good example of one of the many uses of metadata, namely to provide a definition, description, and context for data.
Pictured to the left is the dictionary that has been on my desk for over 15 years, which is a good metaphor for the challenges of metadata management.
When I first bought the dictionary, it was, as its front cover attested, “The Newest. The Best. A Trusted Authority. A brand-new dictionary of the 1990s, for the 1990s. Comprehensive coverage of current words and terms, with clear, understandable definitions and up-to-the-minute usage guidance.”
And its back cover boasted of “60,000 entries assembled by a state-of-the-art authority using the most modern sources of information, and prepared by lexicographic experts to provide the one-stop reference book to turn to for all of your word questions.” (However, if one of your word questions was about metadata you were out of luck because it didn’t have an entry for it.)
The multidimensionality of metadata is exemplified by how a dictionary rarely contains a single definition for a word, and an old dictionary exemplifies how constantly changing semantics further complicate metadata management.
Jim laments that he has never seen a “metadata dictionary” that provides a “…one-stop reference to turn to for all your data questions.”
Topic maps have the capability to be a “one-top reference” but Jim’s observation is a fair one: Have you ever seen one?
Technical capability is a requirement but execution based on technical capability is required to make such a “one-stop reference” a reality.
Or as Jim concludes:
An old dictionary reminds us that language — and especially its everyday usage — evolves. An old dictionary also teaches us that metadata — and especially the data it defines, describes, and provides a context for — evolves as well. Which is probably why doing metadata management well is not, well, something that just automagically happens.
Is the lack of “automagic” solutions holding back your topic map project?