Meeting report - User Guide and Glossary Task Forces 

2010-10-21, DC-2010, Pittsburgh

-- Agenda
   http://dublincore.org/groups/userguide/2010/2010-10-21.dcglossary-dcuser-agenda.html
-- Meeting PDF
   http://dublincore.org/groups/userguide/2010/2010-10-21.dcuser-dcglossary-meeting.pdf
-- Raw meeting notes:
   http://dublincore.org/groups/userguide/2010/2010-10-21.dc-glossary-meeting-raw-notes.doc

Co-chairs: Mary Woodley, Tom Baker

Thanks to Mary for scribing!

The two taskforces have joined forces to synchronize the
development of the new edition of the user guide and a new and
streamlined glossary.   They are also working on a new FAQ and
a series of essays which provide a historical perspective of
how terminology for metadata concepts has evolved has evolved
in the DC community.  We have been working through email and
periodic phone/Skype conference calls.

One newcomer at the meeting, Steven Miller, signed up to 
participate in the task groups.

Discussion focused on:

1.  Updating the User Guide, refining the structure and organization 
    into a logical sequence and identifying parts that needed to 
    be updated.
2.  Glossary of terms, significantly revamping the legacy glossary
    a.  Smaller scope to include only DC perspective only
    b.  Alignment with other DC documentation
3.  Goals of next steps, gaps, version up on the list
4.  Publication platform: it is always difficult and fiddly to convert 
    Wiki documents into HTML documents.  On the wish-list: an updated 
    Wiki structure for publication platform.

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User Guide, "Using Dublin Core"

    http://colab.mpdl.mpg.de/mediawiki/UsingDC
    http://colab.mpdl.mpg.de/mediawiki/CreatingMetadata
    http://colab.mpdl.mpg.de/mediawiki/PublishingMetadata

    Scope: 
    -- how to create a metadata description 
    -- how to publish the description as linked data

    Identified need to clarify definitions for what constitutes a
    metadata description in Linked Data.

--  UsingDC
    Should move Section 5 (What is Dublin Core?) to position 3 (after What
    is Metadata? and before What is Linked Data?)
    
    Re: Dublin Core Properties: need simple paragraph of explanation, including
    issue of namespaces (legacy vs dcterms) 
    
    Levels of interoperability section should focus on Levels 1 and 2 only,
    though it should link to documentation about all levels.

    Stefanie will update the font style to make the legend for the properties 
    more understandable

--  CreatingMetadata
    This is about filling in the fields without necessarily knowing what is 
    under the hood.

--  PublishingMetadata 
    This is about what is under the hood (architecture) i.e. encoding in 
    the dcterms namespace.

    Note Pete's change suggestions on page 44 of the meeting packet.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Glossary - see meeting packet

    We have the Glossary, on one hand, and ten mini topical
    essays (one-pagers listing the history of concepts in the
    DC concept) which can be used as the basis for glossary
    entries and the user guide.

    1.  We should keep superseded terminology in the glossary, with very 
        brief definitions, and link to the mini-essays.
    2.  Add RDF terminology relevant to DC with links to RDF definitions 
        and to the mini essays.
    3.  Re: mini essay on "Dublin Core": DCMES should have its own glossary
        entry (pointing to the essay).
    4.  Re: mini essay on Dumb-down principle: use the first paragraph in
        the glossary.
    5.  Re: Namespace Policy essay and Namespace essay: split this information
        between the glossary and the user guide.  Start the glossary entry with
        what is a namespace.
    6.  Retain a definition of URI in the glossary, with brief definition,
        pointing perhaps to Juha's recent overview [1].
    7.  One-to-one principle: keep.  What constitutes a "resource" as a 
        meaningful object of description, lies in the eye of the beholder. 
        Link to mini essay.
    8.  Open World Mindset teaser for glossary - link to essay...
    9.  RDF essay: need to distill for glossary.
   10.  Resource discovery and Resource description essay:  properties designed 
        for description or discovery; originally elements designed solely for 
        description were not included.  Evolved to include more than just digital  
        objects but things that belong to the classes of the DCMI Type
        Vocabulary.  Not sure if this belongs to the glossary or user guide but 
        will be maintained as part of the overall background document.
   11.  Simple and Qualified Dublin Core - ok.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAQ

    1.  Do not want an exhaustive list. 
    2.  Link dcterms to user guide document
    3.  Need to develop platform and anchors 
    4.  Tom looked through answers posted to (now-defunct) AskDCMI service.
        Simple questions on where to find things; quite a few questions
        on syntax and encoding. Many of these are out of scope if DCMI is 
        de-emphasizing syntax guidelines.

[1] http://metadaten-twr.org/2010/10/13/persistent-identifiers-an-overview/