> From: Gregory Woodhouse <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net > Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 21:09:00 -0700 > To: hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net > Subject: Re: [Hardhats-members] Human factors (was: 20th century) > > I've talked to Nancy about the need for modularity and extensibility > for precisely the same reasons. I don't think I've ever seen two > products with non-trivial data dictionaries map cleanly to one > another on a semantic level. Even when the mappings look like they > make sense, there are always surprises once actually try to get the > two systems working together. Some people think metadata is the > answer here, and some think the answer is to have more carefully > specified ontologies. I'm not really convinced in either case. > === > Gregory Woodhouse > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > "Before one gets the right answer, one must ask the right question." > -- S. Barry Cooper
... .... ..... Greg, You have touched the heart of the dilemma--joining several cultures together becomes quickly mired in the struggle to manage the 'secrets' that are hidden within each culture. The DVA and the DoD struggle with patient identification is one such example. Even within DHCP there was an even more vexing case that even today is still not completely resolved. To see the surface features of the problem, examine the "NEW PERSON" file and the associated files, i.e., PROVIDER, etc. Imagine the difficulties of handling test material in the laboratory that comes from animals in the research department, or from the ice machines in the cafeteria, with a laboratory processing system that began with only the human patient in mind. Neither of your alternatives have proved to be palatable solutions in DHCP. Please elaborate Greg on what you are thinking about with the term "specified ontologies". Regards, Richard. ------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by: NEC IT Guy Games. How far can you shotput a projector? How fast can you ride your desk chair down the office luge track? If you want to score the big prize, get to know the little guy. Play to win an NEC 61" plasma display: http://www.necitguy.com/?r=20 _______________________________________________ Hardhats-members mailing list Hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members
