ISSUE-54: What is it we expect to obtain when we say "retrieving the provenance of something"

which-provenance-is-expected-to-be-retrieved?

What is it we expect to obtain when we say "retrieving the provenance of something"

State:
CLOSED
Product:
Accessing and Querying Provenance
Raised by:
Luc Moreau
Opened on:
2011-07-29
Description:
This issue is probably at the interface between the PAQ document and the Model document.
<br/>
But what are expecting to find when dereferencing a provenance-uri? Syntactically, a set of assertions, as defined in the model, packaged in an appropriate manner. But what should those assertions relate to?
<br/>

-The past history of a given BOB?
-The known uses of a given BOB? (i.e. its future)
-A combination of both?
-Something else?
<br/>

If we dereference a provenance-uri twice, do we always get the same contents? If not, then the provenance-uri points to a stateful resource. If yes, then it seems that the provenance-uri is a cool URL. Of course provenance may change over time (as we get to know more about things). Is it realistic to put a burden on the provider to honour all those cool URLs?
<br/>

Alternatively, if we perform an HTTP HEAD request on a static resource, and we find a provenance-uri in the header, is it always the same provenance-uri?


<br/>


Also, once this provenance-uri is minted, what is its time to live? How long should the provider be able to serve these uris?

<br/>

To be inter-operable, I think that some clarification on these issues is required.
Related Actions Items:
No related actions
Related emails:
  1. Reviewing outstanding issues on PAQ document. (from GK@ninebynine.org on 2011-09-15)
  2. Re: PROV-ISSUE-55 (are-provenance-uris-needed): Are provenance URIs really needed [Accessing and Querying Provenance] (from GK@ninebynine.org on 2011-08-25)
  3. Re: PROV-ISSUE-55 (are-provenance-uris-needed): Are provenance URIs really needed [Accessing and Querying Provenance] (from L.Moreau@ecs.soton.ac.uk on 2011-08-22)
  4. Re: PROV-ISSUE-55 (are-provenance-uris-needed): Are provenance URIs really needed [Accessing and Querying Provenance] (from L.Moreau@ecs.soton.ac.uk on 2011-08-22)
  5. PROV-ISSUE-55 (are-provenance-uris-needed): Are provenance URIs really needed [Accessing and Querying Provenance] (from sysbot+tracker@w3.org on 2011-07-29)
  6. PROV-ISSUE-54 (which-provenance-is-expected-to-be-retrieved?): What is it we expect to obtain when we say 'retrieving the provenance of something' [Accessing and Querying Provenance] (from sysbot+tracker@w3.org on 2011-07-29)

Related notes:

I think this issue lies in the intersection of mechanism, model and quality of service issues. My view is that the provenance information at a given URI should be static, but that duration of availability is an out-of-scope service quality matter. This view depends on a particular view of Bob/Entity resources. As for what we get back, I am assuming it will be an RDFG document, but that is yet to be specified by the PIL specification.

I am postponing considerayion of this until some of the other related issues become clearer.

Graham Klyne, 5 Aug 2011, 11:46:47

Changed POSTPONED to OPEN so that the issue remains visible.

Graham Klyne, 5 Aug 2011, 11:48:46

I think this is now covered by text in section 2.

Graham Klyne, 1 Dec 2011, 13:17:11

I believe this as covered by text in sections 1 and 2 of FPWD. Closing.

Graham Klyne, 5 Jan 2012, 11:09:38

Display change log ATOM feed


Chair, Staff Contact
Tracker: documentation, (configuration for this group), originally developed by Dean Jackson, is developed and maintained by the Systems Team <w3t-sys@w3.org>.
$Id: 54.html,v 1.1 2013-06-20 07:37:51 vivien Exp $