[WEB4LIB] Re: Use of DDC in web displays

[Robert J. Tiess]

Thomas Dowling wrote:
> This sort of attitude seems designed to send would-be web catalogers
> flocking to some such freely accessible starting point to create an
> open-source subject classification.

I completely agree with Mr. Dowling on this important point.  I
would also suggest this is a really opportune moment for serious
consideration of such a free and open source system, one incapable
of being stunted and dominated by any institution or organization.
What Linux did for the computer world is what such a new system
could do for catalogers and libraries.  We do already have a number
of metadata options at our disposal, in HTML, XML, and overall RDF
(Resource Description Framework http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-rdf-syntax).
Yet, while any of these suffice for web document classification
and retrieval, we still don't have a completely free and open system
applicable to all information on and off the Internet.

This isn't a new issue.  Back in May 1999 I made a similiar pitch
("RE: Candidates for Beyond Bookmarks: Schemes...") on this list
for a new universal classification system, although I now see such
a project as something that cannot possibly arise from the work or
limited vision of one person but must be the product of many people
contributing their knowledge and creativity to its establishment.
Also, the object-oriented structure I had mentioned might not be
the best way to achieve this, so all of my previous suggestions
are withdrawn.  I would now say what we need are people to start
discussing this at length, genuine interest expressed, and action.

Again, the Linux story has its morals:  We know from its short
history various people around the world can virtually unite in
incredible ways to bring about swift positive change and compete
with the dominant systems and technological monopolies out there.
It's essentially a matter of will.  If the library community really
craves a new classification system they can truly call their own,
it can be realized, and relatively soon, one could imagine.  If
people here (or others you know) are interested in this, you're
welcome to join the forum at http://www.egroups.com/list/libnetcat
and present your ideas on cataloging Internet resources.  If you
are interested in the broader open classification system referenced
above, please consider participating in the newly established
"openclass" forum at http://www.egroups.com/group/openclass

Happy holidays to everyone,

Robert

rjtiess at warwick.net
http://rtiess.tripod.com