[CF-metadata] a different (but perhaps unoriginal) approach to standard name construction

From: John Caron <caron>
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:17:38 -0600

Hi Karl:

I think this is a very important idea thats worth exploring further. An important step would be to try to retrofit the existing set of standard names, and see what issues arise. It would be interesting, in fast, for more than one person to independently try that, making up their own set of proposed categories.

For your enjoyment, I've tracked down Borges' famous categorization of animals, which for some reason I always think of when this kind of thing is discussed:

       1. those that belong to the Emperor,
       2. embalmed ones,
       3. those that are trained,
       4. suckling pigs,
       5. mermaids,
       6. fabulous ones,
       7. stray dogs,
       8. those included in the present classification,
       9. those that tremble as if they were mad,
      10. innumerable ones,
      11. those drawn with a very fine camelhair brush,
      12. others,
      13. those that have just broken a flower vase,
      14. those that from a long way off look like flies.

Regards,
John
Received on Thu Oct 30 2008 - 09:17:38 GMT