A Semantic Web prime-mover
Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:33:00 GMT
Semantic Web prof primes for third edition of classic text
WHEN Grigoris Antoniou – now a professor at the University of Huddersfield – first became absorbed in a new field of computer science known as the Semantic Web, he was frustrated that there was no suitable textbook in the subject. So he wrote it himself.
Now his 2004 book A Semantic Web Primer has been translated into a large number of languages and is widely regarded as the best introduction to the subject. A third and significantly-revised edition has now been published, in order to reflect the latest developments.
“In 2004 the Semantic Web was a very new area,” said Professor Antoniou. “It was related to my existing expertise, but I didn’t know much about it. So when I started to try to find out what had been happening in the past couple of years, it was very difficult to find the right material and the right sources put together to provide you with an overview.”
Therefore he produced his own book, which introduces the development of the Semantic Web, and which, with its machine-readable content, has the potential to revolutionise the World Wide Web and its uses.
Since 2004, other authors have dealt with the subject, but A Semantic Web Primer is still the one that is most used internationally and continues to inspire students. “I think this is because when I wrote it there was not such a big gap between understanding the area properly myself and writing something that explained it to others,” says Professor Antoniou.
But the Semantic Web is a rapidly evolving field, so a new edition was a necessity.
“The main issue was the emergence of the linked-data movement, which is about making data – whether it is from government’s or other organisation – openly available. With Semantic Web technologies you can link them together.”
Professor Antoniou believes that the basic languages and technologies of the Semantic Web have now stabilised, so that there will be less of an urgent need for a new edition of the book.
But a further edition would probably be a blend of eBook and digital technologies, offering students a more interactive experience than the traditional textbook, says Professor Antoniou.
Professor Antoniou, who was born in Thessalonica, studied informatics in Germany. His academic and research career took him to universities and institutions in Germany, Australia and Greece before his arrival at Huddersfield early in 2012.
