measurementScale Was: [VOTE] should we release eml-2.0.0 now?

[Tim Bergsma]

Scott,

from a philosophical point of view...

No, there is no way to automate choice of measurement scale.  Someone
has pointed out choice of measurement scale on the Stevens typology
depends in part on what you want to do with the data.  So, for instance,
measurement scale can't be predicted from, say, DictionaryUnit.  This is
probably a flaw in the typology, and as Matt points out, will probably
persist for 2.X.  Let me know if I've misunderstood your question.

Tim.


Matt Jones wrote:
> 
> Scott,
> 
> I have no intention of making any changes to EML whatsoever. There might
> be some bug fixes if they arise (e.g., spelling, mismatched element
> names, etc.), but I would personally oppose any structural change that
> broke backwards compatibility over the next several years. That includes
> changes to measurementScale and ID's and references elements.  At this
> point our focus should be on adoption and use of the agreed EML 2.0.0
> specification.  Let's produce some metadata and make the data available!
>   I know that's what we're focusing on now at NCEAS.
> 
> Matt
> 
> Scott Chapal wrote:
> > Peter McCartney <peter.mccartney at asu.edu> writes:
> >
> >
> >>for example, im not sure we wont just decide upon more feedback that
> >>classifying attributes into stevens measurement scales was a mistake. if so,
> >>id rather scrap it then struggle to make it work.
> >
> >
> > OK, here's some feedback.
> >
> > Has anyone proposed a way to automate the choice of measurementScale?
> > Ironically, as a result of the 11th hour dateTime debate, dates and
> > times are the easiest!
> >
> > We are now faced with encoding NOMINAL, ORDINAL, INTERVAL and RATIO
> > into the attribute (variable) definitions of the data themselves...in
> > order to provide a mechanism for auto-generating EML via XSL.
> >
> > If, however, the 2.0 version of eml-attribute (measurementScale) will
> > not persist in future versions, I don't want to bother going to all
> > that work.  Is measurementScale, in its current form here to stay?
> >
> > Comments?
> >
> >
> >>Im also not sure that we wont decide to return to triples as better
> >>tools for working with them are developed in SEEK.
> >
> >
> >
> 
> --
> *******************************************************************
> Matt Jones                                    jones at nceas.ucsb.edu
> http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/    Fax: 425-920-2439   Ph: 907-789-0496
> National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)
> 
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-- 
Tim Bergsma
LTER Information Manager
W.K. Kellogg Biological Station
Michigan State University
Hickory Corners, MI   49060
629/671-2337
tbergsma at kbs.msu.edu
http://lter.kbs.msu.edu