[oslc-core] [rant] Re: OSLC Core spec query shapes example

[Andrew J Berner]

Olivier wrote:

> And I'm a bit fearful that OSLC turns to a too complex thing to ever
> achieve some potential of being a standard in the ALM field, if it
> becomes too hard to grasp (at least for the core mandatory concepts).


This is a critical point!  We need to pay attention to the consumability of
the specs, both for implementers and consumers.  Especially to many
consumers, "using OSLC" will not necessarily be a key part of their job,
but they will need to create integrations to OSLC providers in as
productive and inexpensive away as they can.  So there must be an easy way
to incorporate the OSLC interfaces into their standard programming
practices.  That's one of the purposes of OSLC, and we must make sure we
both keep the spec "as simple as possible but no simpler" (thus some of the
discussion about required formats), and when there is essential complexity
(perhaps to deal with the variations captured by Shape), then there are
supplementary tools and materials to help with consumption.

For example, while the "language neutral" nature of HTTP, XML, RDF etc.
probably allows even LISP programmers to consume OSLC, in practice, using
the interface requires a 3GL language binding, and having some "canned"
ones for the most common languages (we can debate the list) will go a long
way to help use this with all the helpers that modern IDE's provide.  As
well as making sure (as many notes over the last months have tried to help
do) that we build the spec so it can use common tools for the core
technologies (for example, making sure that "RDF" is real RDF).

Without consumability, we're wasting our time.


Andy Berner
Lead Architect, ISV Technical Enablement and Strategy
IBM Rational Business Development
972 561-6599
ajberner at us.ibm.com

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