Source: Semantic Web FAQ
Resource: W3C-Semantic Web
Retrieved: http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/SW-FAQ#What1
What is the “killer application” for the Semantic Web?
It is difficult to predict what a “killer application” is for a specific technology, and the prediction is often erroneous. That said, the integration of currently unbound and independent “silos” of data in a coherent application is certainly a good candidate. Specific examples are currently explored in areas like Health Care and Life Sciences, Public Administration, Engineering, etc.
Will I “see” the Semantic Web in my everyday browser?
Not necessarily, at least not directly. The Semantic Web technologies may act behind the scenes, resulting in a better user experience, rather than directly influencing the “look” on the browser. This is already happening: there are Web Sites (e.g., Sun’s white paper collection site, or Nokia’s support portal for their S60 series device, Oracle’s virtual press room, Harper’s online magazine) that use Semantic Web technologies in the background.
Is the Semantic Web just research, or does it have industrial applications?
As all innovative technologies, the Semantic Web underwent an evolution starting at research labs, being then picked up by the Open Source community, then by small and specialized startups and finally by business in general. Remember: the Web was originally developed in a High Energy Physics center!
At present, the Semantic Web is increasingly used by small and large business. Oracle, IBM, Adobe, Software AG, or Northrop Grumman are only some of the large corporations that have picked up this technology already and are selling tools as well as complete business solutions. Large application areas, like the Health Care and Life Sciences, look at the data integration possibilities of the Semantic Web as one of the technologies that might offer significant help in solving their R&D problems.
It is worth consulting the list of Semantic Web Case Studies and Use Cases; it gives a good overview of existing applications. Note that the list is often updated, when new application examples come in.
Does one have to understand the theory of formal ontologies and logic to use the Semantic Web?
First of all, as pointed out elsewhere in this document, one can develop Semantic Web applications without using ontologies. Very useful applications can be built without those, relying on the most fundamental, and simple concept of the Semantic Web. However, even if ontologies, rules, reasoners, etc, are used, the average user should not care about the complexities of, say, the details of reasoning. All this is done “under the hood”. What the developer needs to operate with are usually simple logical patterns of the sort “Given that (Flipper isA Dolphin) and (Dolphin isAlso Mammal), one can conclude that (Flipper isA Mammal)“.
Compare it to SQL. The official SQL standards, the formal semantics of SQL, and indeed its implementations are extremely complex and understood by a few specialists only. Nevertheless, a large number of users use SQL in practice, without caring about the underlying complexities.
How is the Semantic Web related to the existing Web?
The Semantic Web is an extension of the current Web and not its replacement. Islands of RDF and possibly related ontologies can be developed incrementally. Major application areas (like Health Care and Life Sciences) may choose to “locally” adopt Semantic Web technologies, and this can then spread over the Web in general. In other words, one should not think in terms of “rebuilding” the Web.
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References:
W3C Semantic Web (2001). W3C Semantic Web Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved March 6, 2008, from http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/SW-FAQ#What1
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