[oslc-core] Addition to Link Guidance: don't make assumptions about links

[Steve K Speicher]

After first and second read, I proposed this modified version of the 
guidance. I still think there are scenarios where putting "kind" of 
relationship in the name is valid, but the guidance should state that even 
if it is named this way the actual type of the target may not be an 
expected one.

Updated guidance:

Don't make assumptions about the target of links

Relationships in OSLC resources are at their simplest an RDF property 
whose object is a URI. Some properties require and assume a resource of a 
particular type as the target for a given link type. In general however, 
it is desired not to make type assumptions on the target of links.  The 
property's purpose and name should clearly reflect the scenarios it is 
supporting.  Since the usage of these relationship properties may exist 
for a long period of time, specification authors should use great care in 
determining these.

As resources evolve over time, and they adapt to different situations, 
different types will be exposed as targets to existing link types. Well 
behaved clients should gracefully handle resource types it doesn't expect 
when exercising links in resources.

Thanks,
Steve Speicher | IBM Rational Software | (919) 254-0645


> From: Dave <snoopdave at gmail.com>
> To: oslc-core <oslc-core at open-services.net>
> Date: 08/27/2010 01:48 PM
> Subject: [oslc-core] Addition to Link Guidance: don't make 
> assumptions about links
> Sent by: oslc-core-bounces at open-services.net
> 
> Jim Conallen and Ian Green wrote the guidance below on links and I've
> added it to the Link Guidance document for your review. I think it
> offers good advice and stops short of making mandates, which is also
> good. Thoughts?
> 
> Thanks,
> Dave
> 
> 
> The new guidance:
> 
> Don't make assumptions about the target of links
> 
> Relationships in OSLC resources are at their simplest an RDF property
> whose object is a URI. Some properties require and assume a resource
> of a particular type as the target for a given link type. In general
> however, it is considered a good design not to make type assumptions
> on the target of links. It is also considered a bad practice to embed
> in the predicate name assumptions of the resource type of the object.
> For example the link type oslc:implementedByChangeRequest implies the
> target resource is a Change Request. Instead the preferred type would
> be oslc:implementedBy.
> 
> As resources evolve over time, and they adapt to different situations,
> different types will be exposed as targets to existing link types.
> Well behaved clients should gracefully handle resource types it
> doesn't expect when exercising links in resources.
> 
> Link:
> http://open-services.net/bin/view/Main/
> OSLCCoreLinksDRAFT#Don_t_make_assumptions_about_the
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Oslc-Core mailing list
> Oslc-Core at open-services.net
> http://open-services.net/mailman/listinfo/oslc-core_open-services.net
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