Let the Semantic Web Begin!

I'm writing a book on the business implications of the semantic web, and I need your help. The book is called Business 3.0, to be published by Harvard Business School Press. As you can see by reading the other blogs I have written here, I'm a passionate advocate of the Semantic Web. I think companies will build new business practices on the Semantic Web, and I think companies like Google and Microsoft will find the playing field shifting underneath their feet because of it. There are huge changes coming, and I want you to know about them.

I'll be writing hard for the next few months. I could use your help. Here's my list of things I'm looking for:

A business intern, who will help research the business aspects I mention in the book. There will be lots of little facts to check and figures to chase after. I would love someone who is in an MBA program or a graduate who has an interest in the Semantic Web. There's a lot to work on - how will the Semantic Web affect banking, health care, transportation, distribution, transactions, security, media, advertising, and just about every other aspect of commerce? I could use a small army of researchers! In fact, I would love if a professor who is interested in innovation would ask his/her class to help.

A semantic researcher and web production person, who can build and maintain my coming blog on Business 3.0. My goal is to be the single point of information for all things semantic as this new world takes shape. I'll need to constantly be on the lookout for new companies, technologies, standards, events, people, and developments. I need someone curious, agile, plugged in. Someone who blogs or reads a lot of blogs. Someone who does searches at Digerati. Someone who reads Techcrunch. Someone who knows what microformats are. Is that you? Do you know the person I'm looking for? Let me know - david@dsiegel.com.

Interesting case studies that show companies using Semantic Web technologies. I'm looking for companies embracing semantic technologies in their verticals, from banking to health care to automotive to travel to advertising. Show me the innovation! Show me the enthusiasm! Let me make you famous!

Interesting start-ups in the semantic space. Who's doing what? You can help me learn.

Venture capitalists and investors putting money into semantic projects.

Interesting semantic projects and developments in ...

    Microformats

    Industry standard formats

     Semantic software

    Ontologies gaining momentum

    Health care (Google, Microsoft, VistA, patient privacy, HIPPA, etc.)

    Banking, micropayments, insurance, loan applications, securities, bonds

    Human Resources

    Legal

    Consumer goods

    Security

    Identification

    Supply chain

    RFID

    Architecture, design, construction, building management

    Transportation

    Knowledge

    Etc.

If you have any resources, contacts, or developments in the semantic world, please send them to david@dsiegel.com

I'm going to turn comments on for this post. If you have anything to contribute, feel free to add it at the bottom of this page, so others can see!

If you want to read more, click on the archive entries on the left side of the page.

Comments

[web designer]

Business 3.0 Awesome title. Great thoughts I can't wait for the book.

[Miguel Lopes Garcia]

Yes, awsome subject, good title. I'm hoping to read the book too. I'm into the subject but not at that depth! Good Luck

[William Ward]

David,
I've spent a substantial amount of time studying this area from a practical implementation perspective and would recommend reading up on the SIMILE project at MIT and corresponding with some of its principals. The SIMILE folks are pushing out open toolsets for practical work.
Also hunt down the "Semantic Wiki" project at www.ontoworld.org which is a mind-blowing new plugin for MediaWiki. Once you grasp the implications of adding semantic sauce to Wikis the potential of the Semantic Web becomes very clear.

I have more, and am willing to spend time discussing it further over coffee or e-mail if you like.

- Bill Ward
New World Electric

[odoncaoa]

> Business 3.0
While those living through The Web might be successful in inferring the relation, and get what may be intended via such a title, (IMHO) it sure manages to miss the intent and vision involving the SW! The SW is a logical progression, not identified with a labelled version number.

"The Semantic Web is not a separate Web but an extension of the current one, in which information is given well-defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation."

- Tim Berners-Lee, James Hendler and Ora Lassila; Scientific American, May 2001
(http://www.sciam.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=00048144-10D2-1C70-84A9809EC588EF21)

In the event that it actually ends up taking 10 years to fully implement, and various technologies manage to coallece into something that ends up being referred to as the Web's third generation, in a fashion similar to 'Web 2.0', in the next 2-5 years, then what? Lose the version number.

Cheers,

odoncaoa

[drupal fan]

http://boston2008.drupalcon.org/session/rdf-and-semantic-web-drupal

[Jordan Hatcher]

Have you seen the work we've been doing at Open Data Commons on data licensing?

http://opendatacommons.org

I also have a few posts related to open data up on my site

http://opencontentlawyer.com

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

[Mr Conscience]

sorry to be off post, but how can you claim "My goal is to visit 100 countries" on your ABOUT PAGE and simultaneously support a worthy green issue -Hybridization of New York cabs ??

Is this Moral Offsetting ??

Best of luck with it anyway, but you've just lost my interest :(

[Hi Hello]

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[PJ Wade]

Your work has come highly recommended and I can see why. Very ambitious and essential outline for your book. Glad to see architecture and housing will be included which makes the book pretty unusual right off.

PJ

[Livia Whyte]

Hi David, its Livia (from asw)....

I want to write a business book. I have some great ideas - what is the best way to go about this. get someone to pm me from asw if my address doesn't come up with this.

[Joseph an the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]

I think it is funny that someone from "Scientific America" claims that your title is wrong--who cares what they think. You're writing the book.

I don't own a website, but I think it's now getting to the point where I want one to be prepared for the future. This book would raise awareness of this if it does well.

SW? Single White? Female? Southwest? Swirling Whirligig? Yes, there are terms for everything, but if you want to sell the web to people older than 25, you will have to do better than that.