SparqlArticles

From W3C Wiki

SPARQL Standard Opens Data on the Web

(about SPARQL becoming a recommendation)

SlashDot article draft

The W3C just gave a stamp of approval to SPARQL (pronounced "sparkle") and promoted it to the status of a W3C Recommendation.

SPARQL is the query language for data integration on the Web and one of the foundations of the Semantic Web.

"Trying to use the Semantic Web without SPARQL is like trying to use a relational database without SQL," explained Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director. There are already 14 implementations of the standard. Most of them free and open source software.

The standard is comprised of there documents: SPARQL Query Language for RDF, SPARQL Protocol for RDF, and SPARQL Query Results XML Format.

There is a large amount of data already available for you to try SPARQL queries on, such as the <a href="http://dbpedia.org/">DBpedia</a> (from the <a href="http://esw.w3.org/topic/SweoIG/TaskForces/CommunityProjects/LinkingOpenData"Linking Open Data project</a>) containing structured data from the Wikipedia.

Additional information: W3C press release, Semantic Web FAQ, Semantic Web Use Cases.

References

http://www.w3.org/News/2008#item6

 2008-01-15: Today, the World Wide Web Consortium made it easier to share and reuse data across application, enterprise, and community boundaries with the publication of three new Semantic Web standards for SPARQL (pronounced "sparkle"). SPARQL is the query language for the Semantic Web (see Semantic Web use cases). SPARQL queries hide the details of data management, which lowers costs and increases robustness of data integration on the Web. "Trying to use the Semantic Web without SPARQL is like trying to use a relational database without SQL," explained Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director. There are already 14 implementations of the standard, which is comprised of three W3C Recommendations: SPARQL Query Language for RDF, SPARQL Protocol for RDF, and SPARQL Query Results XML Format. Read the press release, testimonials and learn more about the Semantic Web Activity. 

http://www.w3.org/2007/12/sparql-pressrelease

KjetilKjernsmo alternative draft

The W3C just gave <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/rdf-sparql-query/">SPARQL</a> the <a href="http://www.w3.org/blog/SW/2008/01/15/sparql_is_a_recommendation">stamp of approval</a>. SPARQL is a query language for the Semantic Web, and differs from othe query languages in that is usable across different data sources. There are allready 14 implementations of the spec, which is a lot. Most of them are free software. There are also billions of relations out there that are queryable, thanks to the <a href="http://esw.w3.org/topic/SweoIG/TaskForces/CommunityProjects/LinkingOpenData">Linking Open Data project</a>. The structured data of Wikipedia are now queryable at <a href="http://dbpedia.org/">DBpedia</a>. Also, have a look at <a href="http://www.w3.org/People/Ivan/CorePresentations/">Ivan Herman's presentations</a>. For example, check out a <a href="http://dbpedia.org/snorql/?query=SELECT+%3Fname+%3Fbirth+%3Fdeath+%3Fperson+WHERE+%7B%0D%0A+++++%3Fperson+skos%3Asubject+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fdbpedia.org%2Fresource%2FCategory%3AComputer_scientists%3E+.%0D%0A+++++%3Fperson+dbpedia2%3Abirth+%3Fbirth+.%0D%0A+++++%3Fperson+foaf%3Aname+%3Fname+.%0D%0A+++++OPTIONAL+%7B+%3Fperson+dbpedia2%3Adeath+%3Fdeath+%7D+%0D%0A+++++FILTER+%28%3Fbirth+%3C+%221945-01-01%22%5E%5Exsd%3Adate%29+.%0D%0A%7D%0D%0AORDER+BY+%3Fname">a query that finds all computer scientists born before 1945</a>