Database
Introduction to Metadata
An overview of the Dublin Core Data Model
I would be lying if I said that I did not struggle through these readings. My basic understanding of metadata is that it is a way of collecting data about data. This data is then used to evaluate, describe, or otherwise manipulate whatever information the user is trying to figure out thus creating even more data. This "cycle" then repeats itself and we end up with a constantly updating and enlarging data field that can be used to cull a multitude of information from. Not entirely sure...The Dublin Core Data Model is an "international effort" in the process of trying to take this data and "translate" it all into a database that is cross-disciplinary, cross cultural and able to define same concepts in many different languages. Through "semantic refinement" and specialized encoding schemes, this effort is attempting to harness massive amounts of information and make it usable within areas/disciplines that it may not have orginated from.
It is amazing how it all ties together- Moore's law taught us about exponential growth within the processer industry and metadata, to me, represents a similiar growth within the information industry.
Not sure how I feel about such massive amounts of growth so quickly-hope it does not overtake us.
Please feel free to correct/comment on the above. Although, not my area of expertise I have learned so much in this class already- mostly how grateful I am for IT departments everywhere!
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Yep I also struugled through these readings. They are very technical and somewhat dry. I also agree with you about there being so much technoliical advancement at such a rapid rate. Sort of scary and daunting...but we must continually adapt.
The readings were difficult as always, but, for some reason, I found them a little easier this week...maybe because I've been class; who knows? Anyway, in regard of the Dublin Core, I found it to be very interesting because of the fact that it tries to be user friendly. The question is, will it work for novices, or users who typically go about such challenges in the computer world?
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