Simply semantics

In my quest to appear knowledgable in interviews I've been trying to stretch my geekness as far as it will go. My latest quest is to understand the semantic web and what it means to the future of the web. Here are some of the definitions that I have found:

1. Semantic web - 'the meaning of the web'. Huh?

2. Semantic web - 'an extension of the web'. Ok. Still not understanding.

3. Semantic web - 'a way of sharing data and content'. Right, similar to mashups or something, yes? Well, sort of. Not quite. Mashups use web applications to pull in data from different sources and present it in a single form, making potentially dozens of Web calls (for example: www.flickrvision.com).

On the other hand, the Semantic web is a web of data. It needs no application and makes no web calls. The data is the web and the web is the data. It doesn't use javascript or HTML, it uses a different language altogether. Semantic web is potentially the most powerful and efficient way of distributing data and content.

It uses a language called RDF (Resource Description Framework), which is apparently even difficult for developers to understand. RDF was designed to provide a common way to describe information so it can be read and understood by computer applications. Go any deeper and you start getting into terminology that sounds like something out of Harry Potter so I'm going to stop there.

In my research I also stumbled across SWOOGLE, a semantic search engine. This actually left me more confused than I was before, and more convinced that this technology is not for the likes of me to concern myself with for the time being at least.

The semantic web is a work in progress and has the potential to transform the web into one giant, immensely powerful database.

Keep up the good work, Superbrains - rather you than me.