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Berners-Lee Deconstructs a Bag of Chips
itwbennett writes "At the O'Reilly Gov 2.0 Expo, being held this week in Washington, DC, Tim Berners-Lee compared the concept of linked open data to a bag of Utz Kettle Classics Crunchy Potato chips: 'The outside of the bag contains different sets of information, each using a different vocabulary and coming from a different source, Berners-Lee explained. The front of the package displays the name of the brand and the company's own marketing claim that the chips are crunchy. The back of the package has nutritional information, such as calories and vitamins, defined by terms generated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Finally, there is a Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code on the bottom of the package, which is not understood by humans at all but rather is recognized by scanning machines globally as the moniker for the item. In other words, this single package of information actually is a collection of data and attributes that have been developed by multiple parties, not just Utz.'"
Much tastier than the average car analogy.
Nerds are notorious consumers of potato chips... it's the chips that are the nerd angle here, although I agree, it would have been more clear had he used a tube of Pringles instead.
Yes, but my bag of Potato chips does not relay the number of chips and their associated calories and fat content back to the vendor, who then sells the information to my health care provider who then raises my rates because I am a risky eater. (At least, not yet....)
Later that day Tim used some toilet paper and noted that although the manufacturer said that it was a soft as a cloud, cloud computing is not ready for the toilet yet.
I'm English you insensitive clod! My bag of chips is hot, greasy and with no writing on it.
I'm in Texas. Our chips are large, brownish-green and steamy when fresh. After rainy days, you will find hippies from the Austin area looking for mushrooms growing on them.
There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.
It is also important to note that despite what might be written on the outside of the bag, the contents cannot be empirically verified until observed directly, after which they usually promptly cease to exist.
Transmission of information through labels.....that is news for nerds, since when?
Since it concerns Sir Tim, the guy who literally invented the web. If Linus Torvald was hired to design the new Chevy Camero, it would also be news worthy on /. When important people in the technology industry do interesting things that may or may not be directly related to actually compiling code, some of us nerds like to know.
Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
I'm sorry, but I just can't bring myself to consume any substance with which the phrase "anal leakage" is associated.
"Oh shit, my speech, I forgot all about it! I shouldn't have stayed out drinking until 2am last night..."
"Must find inspiration, quickly..."
*sees chip bag in garbage*
"Ah, a chip bag! Maybe I can use this somehow..."
*scrawls some notes*
"Hey this might just work..."
*15 minutes of feverish writing*
"YES! An entire speech on linked open data based on a bag of chips. My career is safe!"
"Hey, maybe I'll even get a few cases from Utz as a thank you for mentioning them..."