(2002-04-19) b

Jon Udell says Classically, we have had exquisite control over a relatively small amount of highly structured data (i.e., by means of SQL), and almost no control over vast amounts of semi-structured and unstructured data. It's tantalizing to think we'll have some control over the messages, reports, essays, and other documents (Personal Knowledge Management) that hold the majority of the world's data. It's precisely because this prospect is so exciting that we need to strike the right balance between control and freedom. Mc Grath is not saying that XML tagging is worthless. There will be a Semantic Web, and it will require (and reward) a certain level of discipline. But people won't be able to inhabit that semantic web if the XML taxes they must pay are too high.