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gils: Re: GILS Profile version 2

gils: Re: GILS Profile version 2

Re: GILS Profile version 2

Eliot Christian (echristi@usgs.gov)
Thu, 05 Sep 1996 07:06:08 -0400 

Message-Id: <2.2.32.19960905110608.0072045c@isdmnl.wr.usgs.gov>
Date: Thu, 05 Sep 1996 07:06:08 -0400
To: gils@cni.org
From: Eliot Christian <echristi@usgs.gov>
Subject: Re: GILS Profile version 2


At 11:35 AM 8/22/96 -0700, Fay Turner wrote:
> 
> [...] I propose the following minor changes:
>
> 1. Originator: this should be changed to Repeatable as more that one agency 
> can be responsible for the creation of an information resource.  Unless you 
> treat this to mean something like "main author" and any other co-originators 
> would be entered in the Author element.  Not sure I like this for automated 
> searching on Originator.  Also, we would then have to make up rules as to 
> which is the main originator.

I think it is reasonable to make the Originator element repeatable.


> 2. Language of Resource: this should be changed to Repeatable as an 
> information resource, whether it is a printed document or an information 
> service, may be in more than one language. A book can contain both English, 
> French and Spanish text, a help service may be avialble in English and 
> Spanish.  The definition even implies that this element is repeatable.

I agree that Language of Resource should be repeatable.


> 3. Controlled Subject Index: the structure of Controlled Subject Index 
> should be realigned to parallel the structure of Place in Spatial Domain. 
> They both do the same thing - cite a thesaurus and provide terms from the 
> thesaurus.  Except Controlled Subject Index has the added data subelement 
> Subject Terms Controlled which I think is redundant.

Consistency would be nice, and I do think we should follow whatever is 
the prevailing convention. If I understand your proposal correctly, we 
should have:

  Controlled Subject Index (Repeatable) This element is a grouping of 
  subelements that together provide any controlled vocabulary used to 
  describe the resource and the source of that controlled vocabulary. 

    Subject Thesaurus (Not Repeatable) This subelement provides the 
    reference to a formally registered thesaurus or similar authoritative 
    source of the controlled index terms, plus the terms themselves. 
    Notes on how to obtain electronic access to (e.g., a URI) or copies of 
    the referenced source should be provided, possibly through a Cross 
    Reference to another locator record that more fully describes the 
    referenced resource and its potential application to locating GILS 
    information.  Each term is provided in the subordinate repeating 
    field: 
    
      Controlled Term


> 4. Available Linkage, Linkage Type.  Structuring this element and its 
> compnents posed a real problem when drafting the DTD.  Available Linkage is 
> repeatable and contains the subelements Linkage (repeatable) and Linkage 
> Type (repeatable).  We suggest that Linkage Type be not repeatable. 
> Instead, for each different Linkage Type value, you create a new instance 
> of the Available Linkage data element.  This allows you to couple the 
> Linkage with the Linkage Type.

I think this will work for Available Linkage. What do you propose to do
with Cross Reference Linkage?    


Eliot Christian
<echristi@usgs.gov>

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