Difference between revisions of "'Ontology Design Patterns':Exemplary ontology FAQ"

Revision as of 18:31, 18 February 2010

• Where is the catalogue of Exemplary Ontologies?
• How do I submit an exemplary ontology?
• What exactly do you mean by an Exemplary Ontology?.

• Q: Who should submit exemplary ontologies
• A: The person should 1) have significant knowledge of the ontology (ideally from using it in applications) and 2) significant experience with a number of other ontologies so they can see differences in quality.

• Q: Can I submit my own ontology?
• A: Submissions should normally be made by champions of the ontology rather than by the developers. This avoids perceived conflict of interest / self-promotion. Relatively new ontologies that are truly exemplary may not yet have champions, in which case the community may be better served if the author does enter it into the catalog. Alternatively, it could also be better to just wait and see if it passes the test of time, then champions will emerge. Use your judgment.

• Q: What if I disagree that a submitted ontology is exemplary?
• This is a Wiki, let your views be known. Start a discussion using the discussion tab. In some cases you may wish to enter comments in the "Known Issues" field.

• Q: Can I add to or change the content of a submitted Exemplary Ontology
• A: This is a Wiki, let your views be known. Per Wiki convention, it may be best to start a discussion first, before making large changes.

• Q: Should I submit an ontology that is exemplary in most ways if it has significant flaws?
• A: If you think the community should know about the exemplary aspects of this ontology (especially if it has a significant user community), then it makes sense to submit it. Clearly indicate the flaws in the Known Issues field and elaborate as necessary in the Long Description or Additional Information field.

• Q: What should I do if there are one or more parts of an ontology that are exemplary, but overall I do not consider the ontology to be exemplary?
• A: If an exemplary part exists as a separate module, (e.g. an imported .owl file) then enter it on its own. You may also wish to see if it uses existing design patterns, and augment the documentation with the new example. Or perhaps you can identify a new design pattern that this module illustrates.

• Q: Can I enter ontologies that are not in OWL?
• A: Yes, enter the URI for your ontology in the Otology URI field. Please ensure that others can easily find out what language is being used. Often this is evident from the URI (e.g. if it ends in .owl or .rdfs).

• Q: How do I know what Domains are available to choose from? How can I add a new one?
• A: Click here to see existing domains and click here to add a new domain.