Ontologies in
computer science are typically thought of as a controlled vocabulary of terms
along with precise semantics for term definitions and interrelationships. They
have always been critical to a number of applications such as library
cataloging and configuration, however in the last few years, they have seen
tremendous growth in importance, arguably because of their use on the web. They
appear at the heart of most structured search applications, e.g., Yahoo and
Lycos, they organize most every e-commerce site, e.g., Amazon and eBay, they
are used support configuration, e.g., Dell and PC-order, and they are used to
help in mapping and interoperability applications such as those coming out of
VerticalNet and CommerceNet. In this talk, we will explore what ontologies are,
how they can be used, and what the important aspects are of ontology
environments for application Environments today.
Damon
Room
Mesa
Lab