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Metadata Schemas

For metadata to be processable, it must conform to an acknowledged structure which gives its processing semantics. Within a closed application domain or a system of limited application an informal understanding of the metadata semantics will suffice. To scale metadata deployment onto the Web and to reliably allow it to be processed by many different applications from many different commercial, military or academic bodies, explicit semantics must be agreed on. The purpose of a schema is to explicitly and unambiguously declare how data is to be represented and interpreted. For some purposes a declaration of allowable document syntax (i.e. an XML DTD) is sufficient, but other purposes require a mechanism that constrains not only document elements but also the data contents. This latter area is the "schema proper", addressed by several standards proposals, although the former area (defined as part of the XML standard) is an import area of activity.

Useful Resources :

Web Sites

• XML.ORG Schema Registry
• SCHEMA.NET Schema Listing
• BizTalk - Schemas for ECommerce

• Understanding XML Schemas
• Family Tree of Schema Languages
• Describing your Data: DTDs and XML Schemas
• Mostly Metadata: A Bit Smarter Technology

• Spotlight on Schemas
• XML Schemas discussed at XTech 2000
• XML Developers Mail List Archive

• IEEE Meta-Data '99: Third IEEE Meta-Data Conference
• Second IEEE Meta-Data Conference
• First IEEE Meta-Data Conference
• GCA XML Conference Series