The Future is (Not) Now
So I just got done reading this press release and looking over the report in more detail. It would be easy to dismiss the “experts” – what makes Sem Web experts? Are we four authors experts? – but I don’t think that’s the right thing to do. Also, the survey was really responding to two questions. I find it hard to gauge such a broad and strong medium with just two questions. What I do realize is that this survey is meant for consumption by a wide audience: technologists, journalists, academics, engineers, developers and on and on. So, take it for face value.
My view? The Semantic Web is here, it is in commercial and military use and it is not the next killer app. It is improving both our lives and how we interact with the Web on an incremental scale. It is not a single technology nor does it obsolete other technologies. In summary, it is making data and computers work better for us, through improved linking, metadata and tagging technologies. Don’t be fooled by those who think it never arrived, it never worked and never made an impact.
