Spatial Data on the Web Interest Group Inaugural Call

Preamble

Jeremy: Patent policy warning seems not needed here, since the IG will not develop technical specifications covered by the W3C Patent Policy (i.e. no Recommendation)

Chris: One little topic I'd like to discuss is building ontologies to sit on top of the Time Ontology.

Jeremy: Noted.
… Any other agenda item?

[No other heard]

Introductions

Jeremy: One of your chairs. Met Office in the UK, usually.
… I'm giving my time to participe in this group because spatial data underpins anything that we need to share in the environmental science.

Linda: Work at Geonovum in the Netherlands. Was editor of the SDW Best Practices document.
… I give up my time for this group because I want spatial data to reach a broader audience and I think standards are the way to go. Also want the OGC/W3C relationship to remain healthy.

Francois: W3C Team contact for the group. Will help with the W3C Process.

Andrea: Work at the JRC.
… Main interest is moving forward the work we did on the Best Practices.
… Interested in metadata. One of the things that I'd like to discuss is the work going on in the Dataset Exchange WG, who is working on an extension to DCAT.
… Also, possible integration between geospatial data and statistics data.

Bill: I know quite a lot of people in the call. I run a company called Swirrl, software for sharing geospatial data on the Web.
… The predecessor SDW WG proved very useful to me to guide our work.
… That's quite useful to have a document that states directions that are better than others to point people at.

Chris: Work at the UK Met Office. I'm in the group because I think it might be fun! Also chaired a group in the OGC for several years. Also involved in the SVG WG at W3C (a bit dormant).
… I'm interested in making geospatial data available across domains, because they are still in silos for now.

Cindy: I'm with Natural Resources Canada. Followed the discussion in the WG. Interested in pursuing the mariage between socio-economical data and geospatial data.

<Linda> Good to have Natural Resources Canada here!

Cindy: I'm working with OGC, working on quality of service experience

Clemens: Interactive Instruments in Germany. Software company active in OGC for a very long time. Also active in the Best Practices work in the predecessor group.
… I'm trying to have some of the best practices reflected in the OGC standards right now.
… I want the resource to remain up to date, that's my main objective here.

Danh: AC rep of Technical University of Berlin in Germany. I participated in the WG, mostly working on SSN.
… We do a lot of semantics for IoT and spatial data for moving objects (e.g. cars)
… That's the reason why I participated in the incubation and standardization of SSN.

Ed: From Google. I was, along with Kerry Taylor, the chair of the previous WG.
… The WG delivered much more than I was expecting it to deliver, which is excellent! Congrats to W3C friends.
… Being involved a lot in OGC, it's interesting to notice how much of an impact the Best Practices already have had. Kudos to Clemens.
… I think it's really important for us as a group to finish that work and build on it.

Evangelos: Come from Greece. Work for CERTH.
… I have been working on statistical data on the Web in the last few years, through EU projects.
… I had the chance to work with Bill in one of these projects, to develop software tools to exploit statistical data from various sources.
… We found interoperability issues across data portals. Different providers apply standards (e.g. RDF Data Cubes) differently.
… We came up with the idea of developing best practices.
… We have already documented a preliminary set of best practices. That's the reason why I'm here, to progress the work that we've already done.

Joseph: From PSMA Australia. Currently in the process of publishing spatial data on the Web following best practices, so I thought it would be good to join the group, possibly to provide feedback as we move forward with the publication.

Jeremy: Feedback on the work in gold dust, so thanks!

Jano: University of Santa Barbara. I was part of the incubator group that developed SOSA and SSN. Describing moving objects is a deliverable that I also proposed and that I'm happy to lead here.

Michael: From Ordnance Survey. Senior Product Manager for digital platform.
… The importance of this group for OS is clear as publishing data on the Web is the default now.
… Also working in the geocoding working group in OGC, and sponsoring testbed activities in OGC, including work on describing moving objects.
… Also a big fan of the SDW Best Practices, so I'll enthusiastically follow how that evolves.

Peter: Natural Resources Canada, colleague of Cindy (although different location).
… Started the Map for HTML Community Group at W3C. Developing MapML as part of the OGC testbed.
… My interest is to check interest there.

Raul: From UPM (Madrid). Working on ontologies.
… Regarding the group, I'm interested in the modeling of spatial data.
… My main interest is with sensor data, involved in SSN discussions. This is where I will put my limited time effort.
… Also, my personal interest is alignment, co-existence between SSN, WoT work at W3C, ETSI work.

Armin: From University in Australia. My computer was stolen, so on a phone right now ;)
… I might sacrifice all of my mornings and evenings again as I did in the WG. Interest in describing moving objects. Some recent work on Augmented Reality.
… I will probably just be an evangelist of the Best Practices, but that may change if I have a lot of time.
… We will also continue on the SSN Primer which we're doing in parallel.
… Currently doing a white paper which could serve as basis for the Primer.

Jano: We even finished one on the SOSA part.

Jeremy: Summarizing, we have a bunch of very useful motivations. And I also know that we have great skills here. We talked about finishing issues in the Best Practices, marrying social-economical data with geospatial data, scientific big data, best practices reflected in OGC standards, providing feedback about Best Practices as they get used, new approaches for moving objects.
… I didn't mention everything, but a bunch of very useful things. As your chairs, Linda and I will do our best to coordinate the work!
… Thank you to all of you, and to all of those who contributed to the Working Group previously!
… It took some time, but I think that's worthwhile.

What is an Interest Group

Jeremy: The primary goal is to bring together people. An IG is a forum for exchanging ideas.
… We can update W3C Notes. We can create Best Practices. We can collect requirements, document our ontologies are being used.
… But our group cannot create new standards.
… No W3C Recommendation, no OGC Technical documents.
… A little bit like an OGC Domain Group, roughly evaluate what work we should be doing, and then, if we feel things need to move on, we can spawn a new joint Working Group.

<eparsons_> +1

<billroberts> yep +1

<AndreaPerego> +1

<Michael_Gordon> +1

<ChrisLittle_> +1

<ClemensPortele> +1

<PeterR> +1

W3C and OGC bravely work together again

Linda: JWOC stands for the Joint W3C / OGC Committee.
… It's meant as the place where OGC and W3C coordinate on standards that should be jointly developed.
… In practice, JWOC operates as one group. In some cases, we'll convene as a W3C group, in other cases, as an OGC group.
… You can join the group if you're a W3C Member or an OGC Member.

Jeremy: Essentially, it's the same thing, just different groups.

Linda: Right, and I think Scott was trying to change the name on the OGC side as well to match the W3C name. I do not know if that worked out.

Spatial Data on the Web IG Charter

Jeremy: Can I just ask people whether they have read the charter?

<Michael_Gordon> +1

<ClemensPortele> +1

<Linda> +1

<billroberts> +1

<eparsons_> +1

<AndreaPerego> +1

<ChrisLittle_> +1

<DanhLePhuoc> +1

<PeterR> -1

<RaulGarciaCastro> +1

<kalampokis> +1

Jeremy: Most people have read the charter, that is good.

SDW IG Charter

Jeremy: Mission is to develop and maintain vocabularies and best practices that encourage better sharing of spatial data on the Web; and identify areas where standards should be developed jointly by both W3C and OGC. W3C/OGC groups tend to be given a limited time span. We have 2 years to do some work. If we demonstrate that we've done a good job, then we may request an extension, but note this is not an open commitment to run the group forever.

<PeterR> looking at charter now...

Francois: Noting the charter says that the group will meet at least twice per year, one time during W3C's TPAC (but not this year), and one time during one of OGC's four annual TC meetings.

Jeremy: If you look at deliverables, there is a "maintenance" section that contains deliverables produced by the working group.
… Also new specifications, which will all be Notes (remember, no Recommendation).
… Statistical Data on the Web Best Practices, SSN Primer, Sensors & Observations Note, Describing Moving Objects.
… We may add more deliverables in, but there's only so much that we can work on.
… What I'm interested in is some indication about who's interested in which deliverable.

Jeremy: Starting with Statistical Data on the Web Best Practices.

<kalampokis> +1

<ChrisLittle_> +1

<billroberts> +1

<cindymitchell> +1

<KJanowicz> +1

<DanhLePhuoc> +1

<AndreaPerego> +1

<RaulGarciaCastro> +1

<Michael_Gordon> +1

[Two +1 from Cindy and Joseph on WebEx chat]

Bill: I'm +1 and also volunteering to do some editing on the document.

Jeremy: Very well, thank you!

Jeremy: Next on the list, SSN Primer

<KJanowicz> +1

<ChrisLittle_> -1

<DanhLePhuoc> +1

<RaulGarciaCastro> +1

<KJanowicz> The same will apply for

<KJanowicz> Armin

[Armin is not on IRC, votes +1 through the phone]

Armin: I might be the one who asked for the SSN Primer to be added to the Charter.

Jeremy: who could take the lead amongst you?

Armin: I can do it, it should not be that much work.

<KJanowicz> I can if Armin has no time or I can give him a helping hand

<RaulGarciaCastro> I can also help

Jeremy: Sensors & Observations Note
… Anyone interested in that?

<ChrisLittle_> -1

Linda: I am the one who put that on there. I won't be actively working on that myself, but I can get some colleague of mine to participate in this.

<cindymitchell> possible +1, will confirm later

Raul: I don't really understand what is the goal

Bill: Pretty much the same question. Differences and overlaps with SSN Primer.

Linda: What I would like is to have an overview of the difference sensors and observations standards that are available. OGC, W3C, and other community standards. I think it's a long list.
… I'd like to see the positioning of each standard.
… Are they complementary? Which part of the picture are they filling?

Jeremy: So SSN will definitely be in the list.

<billroberts> for me, yes

Raul: Theoretical analysis, or practical alignments?

Linda: More theoretical.

<RaulGarciaCastro> I am a +1 for those I participate/know

<billroberts> I don't think I'll have time or skills to contribute to the SSN Primer or Sensors/Observations, but I'm very interested in the outcomes, so in favour of other people working on it :-)

<ChrisLittle_> +0

Jeremy: Do you have any timescale for this, Linda? Could we perhaps work on that through the SSN Primer and then extract it in a separate doc?

Linda: Could work.

Jeremy: OK. Moving objects

<KJanowicz> +1

<ChrisLittle_> +1

<Michael_Gordon> +1

<DanhLePhuoc> +1

<KJanowicz> Armin+1

Jano: I volunteer to lead this effort

Jeremy: Also quickly going through the deliverables we did before

Jeremy: Spatial Data on the Web Best Practices
… Who would like to take the lead on that?

<Michael_Gordon> +100

<ClemensPortele> +1

<ChrisLittle_> +1

<eparsons_> +1

<AndreaPerego> +1

<billroberts> +1

Michael: I would be happy to.

<billroberts> proposal: we overrun by a few minutes on this introductory call, because so much to cover today?

<ChrisLittle_> +1

<ChrisLittle_> scribing now

<KJanowicz> Agree with Armin (also use the group for feedback)

work on SSN Primer needs updating or issues with ontologies raised by communities, but nothing major

+1

for the Time ontology

useful to identify the new Time ontology work on the mailing list, ditto for other topics, and creat work plans

SDW IG activity at TPAC

Linda: any plans for TPAC?

<Linda> https://‌www.w3.org/‌wiki/‌TPAC/‌2017/‌SessionIdeas#Proposed_sessions

Linda proposes to have SDWIG breakout group, reporting on progress and plans

TPAC will be Burlingame (6-10 November 2017).

Linda plans for a face2face meeting early in 2018

Next meeting

How often should we meet?

<tidoust> Jeremy: Meeting every month?

<KJanowicz> +1

<cindymitchell> -1

<Michael_Gordon> +1

<ClemensPortele> +1

<PeterR> +1

<eparsons_> +1

<DanhLePhuoc> +1

<AndreaPerego> +1

<ChrisLittle_>+1 for plenary, more often for subgroups

<tidoust> +1

<cindymitchell> +1 chris

<billroberts> +1

Jeremy: There's nothing that stops sub-groups from meeting at other times and more frequently.

Cindy: I'm folding with the majority, once per month is good if the group manages to make progress.

Jeremy: Let's put in the calendar in about a month time.

<PeterR> I would like to volunteer to brief this group on the objectives and status of the Maps for HTML initiative. Don't want to add deliverables yet, but would like to inform you.

Jeremy: Thank you Peter, I hope you don't mind that we did not talk about that during this call. I propose to put it on the agenda for next call.

<PeterR> Not at all!

[call adjourned]

<cindymitchell> thank you!!

<Linda> bye

<AndreaPerego> Thanks, and bye!

Francois: than you for scribing and apologies for my attempts

<ClemensPortele> bye!

bye

<RaulGarciaCastro> Bye!

<cindymitchell> possible face to face March 2018 ogc tc in orleans?

<PeterR> +1 Thank you François for scribing