Application profile
Encyclopedia
In computer science, an application profile is a set of metadata
elements, policies, and guidelines defined for a particular application.
The elements may be from one or more element sets, thus allowing a given application to meet its functional requirements by using metadata from several element sets including locally defined sets. For example, a given application might choose a subset of the Dublin Core
that meets its needs, or may include elements from the Dublin Core, another element set, and several locally defined elements, all combined in a single schema. An application profile is not complete without documentation that defines the policies and best practices appropriate to the application
Metadata
The term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
elements, policies, and guidelines defined for a particular application.
The elements may be from one or more element sets, thus allowing a given application to meet its functional requirements by using metadata from several element sets including locally defined sets. For example, a given application might choose a subset of the Dublin Core
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata terms are a set of vocabulary terms which can be used to describe resources for the purposes of discovery. The terms can be used to describe a full range of web resources: video, images, web pages etc and physical resources such as books and objects like artworks...
that meets its needs, or may include elements from the Dublin Core, another element set, and several locally defined elements, all combined in a single schema. An application profile is not complete without documentation that defines the policies and best practices appropriate to the application
Advantages
- Defines an application-appropriate set of properties in a public and communicable manner. This permits the building of loosely-coupled systems (i.e. independent of each others' detailed specification) that still offer powerful capabilities.
Disadvantages
- Narrow application scope, which may limit a profile's widespread applicability and also limits the likely synergySynergySynergy may be defined as two or more things functioning together to produce a result not independently obtainable.The term synergy comes from the Greek word from , , meaning "working together".-Definitions and usages:...
from re-use of tools from other projects outside that scope.
- Compared to the Dublin Core refinement approach (where a core property set may be made more specific, in a backwards-compatible manner), use of application profiles requires that applications must at least recognise these profiles and their roots. Even if the profile is based simply on Dublin Core, which the application already understands, this is of no use unless the application also recognises that this profile is treatable as Dublin Core.
Example profiles
- Bath ProfileBath ProfileThe Bath Profile is an international Z39.50 Specification for Library Applications and Resource DiscoveryThe syntax of Z39.50 is abstracted from the underlying database structure; for example, if the client specifies an author search , it is up to the server to determine how to map that search to...
- An International Z39.50Z39.50Z39.50 is a client–server protocol for searching and retrieving information from remote computer databases. It is covered by ANSI/NISO standard Z39.50, and ISO standard 23950. The standard's maintenance agency is the Library of Congress....
Specification for Library Applications and Resource Discovery
- e-GMSE-GMSThe e-GMS is the UK e-Government Metadata Standard. It is an application profile of the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set.The e-GMS defines how UK public sector bodies should label content such as web pages and documents in order to make such information more easily managed, found and shared.The...
- the UK e-Government Metadata Standard. An application profile of Dublin CoreDublin CoreThe Dublin Core metadata terms are a set of vocabulary terms which can be used to describe resources for the purposes of discovery. The terms can be used to describe a full range of web resources: video, images, web pages etc and physical resources such as books and objects like artworks...
.