[dxwg] Define and apply rules for definitions in DCAT

makxdekkers has just created a new issue for https://github.com/w3c/dxwg:

== Define and apply rules for definitions in DCAT ==
I would like to propose that we define and apply consistent rules for definitions in DCAT.
Some issues I have encountered (looking at the 11 July 2018 draft at https://w3c.github.io/dxwg/dcat/):

1. Some definitions are circular in the sense that they use the same word in the label and definition. There are cases where there is no chance for people to misunderstand – e.g. the definition of `dcat:mediaType`: “media type .. as defined by IANA” is probably OK, but `dcat:service` as “A service …” is maybe not so useful. Compare the definition of `dcat:DataService` (“A service …”) with `dcat:DataDistributionService` (“A site or end-point … “). The latter is less circular.
My suggestion is to avoid circularity where it can be avoided. Less circularity may also help translators.

2. Some definitions from external vocabularies do not use the same definition as in the source specification, e.g. `dct:license`. 
There I would suggest that the DCAT specification reuse the original definition in the Definition field and add the specifics for use in DCAT in a Usage note.

3. Some definitions of properties use a template “A <some characteristic> (<further clarification>)” that states what the object of the property is (e.g. `dcat:dataset`, `dcat:mediaType`); others state that it is a link to something (e.g. `dcat:catalog`) or even a link to a description of something (e.g.` dcat:servesDataset`). Furthermore, the property `dcat:distribution` does not say what it is but what it does “Connect a dataset …” A minor note on the use of “The ..” in the definition: this seems to indicate that a `dcat:Catalog` can have only one homepage and use only one KOS for classification, which I think is not necessarily true. 
My suggestion on this point is to standardise on the template “A <some characteristic> (further clarification)”.  

4. I would also suggest that properties that have a URL (Literal) as object should make that explicit, e.g. `dcat:downloadURL`: “The URL of the downloadable file in an given format”.

I think it would be useful to enhance the consistency of the specification before publication of the next Public Working Draft.


Please view or discuss this issue at https://github.com/w3c/dxwg/issues/301 using your GitHub account

Received on Friday, 13 July 2018 12:24:32 UTC