Semantic Web Examples

Semantic web. A simple application example.

Buying and selling second-hand cars

Suppose a semantic web system is used to manage the sale and purchase of second-hand cars over the Internet.

The system may include two main applications: One for people who want to buy cars One for people who want to sell cars

Let's call these two applications IBA (I Buy Application) and ISA (I Sell Application).

IBA - I Buy Application

The IBA application used by people who want to buy cars is similar to this:

I Buy Application (IBA)

In real-world applications, you may be required to identify yourself when you first use the program. Your ID will be stored in an RDF file. Your ID will identify you as a person with a name, address, email, and ID number.

When you submit a query, the application will return a list of cars for sale, which will be sorted by year, price, location, and availability. This information will be continuously returned from the web spider through web searches of the RDF file.

ISA - I Sell Application

The ISA application used by people who want to sell cars is similar to this:

I Sell Application (ISA)

When you submit the form, the application will ask you for more information, and store your ID and information in an RDF file for web use.

The information contained in the RDF file is similar to:

  • Your ID: name, address, email, ID number.
  • Your sale entries: type, model, image, price, description.

Behind the scenes

Behind the scenes, this 'ISA' application creates an RDF file with many RDF pointers.

It creates a pointer to a file containing information about person, a pointer to a file containing information about Volvo and Volvo models, a pointer to a file containing information about Volvo dealers and sellers, and so on.

RDF pointer is a pointer to information about something (actually URL), similar to knowledge database.

The advantage of this is that you do not have to describe yourself or the model of your car. This RDF application will organize the information for you.

How will the Semantic Web work?

Confusion? Standards? What do we need? What are we looking forward to?

Developed by Microsoft, by Google, or by W3C?

RDF is about data, that is, metadata. RDF files often describe other RDF files. Will it be possible to connect all RDF files in the future to build a Semantic Web?

No one knows, but someone always tries.

Will the Semantic Web develop independently?

We do not believe that the Semantic Web will develop independently. It needs the assistance of third parties to become a reality.

It is unlikely that you can simply publish RDF files on the Internet and sell your car.

It requires the participation of many forces to develop applications similar to the above "ISA" and "IBA". One party builds search engine databases for all projects, and the other develops standards for them.

It may be eBay, or Microsoft, or Google, or possibly other companies. But someone will always do it.

In the near future, we will see a market based on RDF. And one day, you will be able to use standardized RDF files to collect information about almost everything on the Web.

It may be free. Or you may have to pay for information, or at least pay for selling your information.

Publishing information on the Internet will be easier than ever before. Maybe RSS language (see our RSS Tutorial）Will become a solution to many problems.

Please read our next section - more content about the topic of Semantic Web.