I've just read James Governor's insightful post titled:
Why Applications Are Like Fish and Data is
Like Wine, where he sums up the comparative value of
applications (code containers) and data as follows:
"Only one improves with age. With apologies to
the originator of the phrase - “Hardware is like fish, operating
systems are like wine.”
Yes! Applications are like Fish and Data like Wine, which is
basically what Linked Data is fundamentally about,
especially when you inject memes such as "Cool
URIs" into the mix. Remember, the essence of Linked Data is all
about a Web of Linked Data
Objects endowed with Identifiers that don't change i.e., they
occupy one place in public (e.g. World Wide Web) or private (your corporate
Intranet or Extranet) networks, keeping the data that
they expose relevant (as in fresh), accessible, and usable in many
forms courtesy of the data access & representation dexterity
that HTTP facilitates, when incorporated into object
identifiers.
Here is another excerpt from his post that rings true (amongst
many others):
What am I talking about? Processes change, and
need to change. Baking data into the application is a bad idea
because the data can’t then be extended in useful, and “unexpected
ways”. But not expecting corporate data to be used in new ways is
kind of like not expecting the Spanish Inquisition. But… “NOBODY
expects the Spanish Inquisition! Amongst our weaponry are such
diverse elements as: fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost
fanatical devotion to the Pope.” (sounds like Enterprise
Architecture ...).
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