About the DAML Language
The World Wide Web (WWW) contains a large amount information which
is expanding at a rapid rate. Most of that information is
currently being represented using the Hypertext Markup Language
(HTML), which is designed to allow web developers to display
information in a way that is accessible to humans for viewing via
web browsers. While HTML allows us to visualize the information
on the web, it doesn't provide much capability to describe the
information in ways that facilitate the use of software programs
to find or interpret it. The World
Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has developed the Extensible Markup Language (XML)
which allows information to be more accurately described using
tags. As an example, the word Algol on a web site might represent
a computer language, a star or an oceanographic research ship.
The use of XML to provide metadata markup, such as
Algol, makes the meaning of the work unambiguous.
However, XML has a limited capability to describe the
relationships (schemas or ontologies) with respect to objects. The
use of ontologies provides a very powerful way to describe objects
and their relationships to other objects. The DAML language is
being developed as an extension to XML and the Resource Description Framework
(RDF). The latest release of the language (DAML+OIL) provides
a rich set of constructs with which to create ontologies and to
markup information so that it is machine readable and
understandable.
Suggested Links:
About the DAML Program
The DAML Program formally began with a kickoff meeting
in August 2000 in Boston.
An integration contractor and 22 technology development
teams (see
DAML Researchers)
are working to realize the DAML vision.
Tools, data, and other results of their efforts will be
posted to www.daml.org as they become available.
Suggested Links:
About the www.DAML.org website
This web site is intended to
provide information about the DARPA Agent Markup Language Program
and its progress toward the goal of creating a language and tools
to facilitate the Semantic Web. As they become available we will
publish on this site the latest version of the language
specification and DAML tools so that you can download and use them.
This web server is operated from the BBN Offices in Arlington, VA.
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