Web-scale data services such as DBpedia, Freebase, Open Calais and others have much to offer in terms of solutions to constructing and scaling core pieces of data infrastructure. These services have also established a strong lead in assigning and maintaining persistent web URIs that the community might usefully seek to reuse, instead of inventing new ones. Equally, universities might take more control of the way in which they are represented by services outside the sector, contributing identifiers and data to these services in such a way that potential users find it easy to link through to university-sourced content.
Recommendation 8: Identify ways in which the community can consume and contribute to existing data services.
To succeed, any new programme of work requires active championing and evangelism. Tangible short-term outcomes can also be of value in maintaining enthusiasm for a more abstract set of long-term goals.
Recommendation 9: identify a focus for Linked Data activities, perhaps within an existing JISC Innovation Support Centre or Advisory Service. Encourage and assist institutions in exploring Linked Data approaches for themselves.
Yes.
In addition to evangelism, real steps must be taken to break down barriers and lower the threshold of adoption. Efforts such as the Data Incubator accomplish this; there must be something like a “Code Incubator” as well enabling institutional developers to quickly get on board.
Remember, in the early days of the Web, being able to see other people’s HTML was critical. here it is the same — not just about the data, but also the code for mashing and visualizing it!