RDF/XML query
Libby Miller
2002-03-27

The web took off partly because HTML was so simple as to allow almost
anyone to start authoring web pages as soon as they saw an example. XML,
the main syntax for RDF offers a much steeper learning curve. One reason
for this is that XML does not give a standard set of tags to use, so
that using XML requires that you find or create a schema of some
kind. Another is that human-authored XML requires tools to ensure
well-formedness - it is not easy to write XML with the accuracy it
requires by hand. Finally, the XML syntax for RDF obscures rather than
enhances the simplicity of the underlying RDF model.

Since the primary Semantic Web data format (RDF/XML) suffers from a
relatively steep learning curve, it is vital for the Semantic Web that
simple tools are made available as quickly as possible. This will allow
individuals to use the highly intuitive model behind RDF rather than
the XML syntax for it to create information describing their
calendars, their personal and business relationships, their
bibliographic data and so on.