ABSTRACT
A closely related topic to XML is the semantic Web. What is the difference between the Web and the semantic Web? Languages like XML enable one to focus on the syntax of the documents. The Web has objects with complicated relationships. We need a way to specify all these relationships. Furthermore, the Web pages currently are for human consumption and manipulation. We need the Web pages to be understood by machines. This is the idea behind the semantic Web. A semantic Web is not a single entity. Instead it is a collection of XML documents, semistructured databases, and millions of objects on the Web with rich semantics needing to be described. Furthermore, based on information on the Web, the machines and agents need to conduct actions and make decisions. Work on the semantic Web is just beginning, but we need to master this technology to effectively conduct e-business on the Web.
