[rdfweb-dev] Proposal: Names in FoaF

[Dan Brickley]

[snip]

I have been thinking about a compromise:

Perhaps we've been too ambitious, seeking a single 
set of vocabulary terms that will augment foaf:name in a way
that works for everyone on the planet.

It seems clear that foaf:givenName and foaf:familyName (or 
somesuch) won't work for many many people. But also that 
there are a fair number of people who could be usefully 
described in this way.

How about we simply back away from the assumption that there 
is a one-size fits all solution, while leaving the western-ish
vocab in FOAF for those who have a use for it, and welcoming
suggestions for further vocab that'll describe non-western naming
patterns. These could be part of FOAF or in separate vocabularies;
either works for me.

Just as foaf:workplaceHomepage doesn't cover the billions of people
whose employers don't have websites, there are other constructs in
FOAF which won't be applicable to everyone. This is a perfectly 
pluralistic approach, I believe, since FOAF (and RDF) doesn't make 
the assumption that there is a standard 'FOAF record format' with 
mandatory fields of any kind. Properties that aren't applicable or 
useful simple needn't be used.

How does that sound? 

Dan