The document discusses a knowledge database being developed by VTi using LinkedData and Ruby on Rails. It describes key concepts like LinkedData, Ruby, Rails, MVC architecture, and REST. The knowledge database was migrated from a Microsoft SQL Server database to PostgreSQL. The system represents data as RDF, links to external data sources, and has potential for ontology plugins and data enrichment.

1. Knowledge Database
by VTi
A LinkedData store

2. Tom Klaasen
• Developer at (http://10to1.be)
• Consultant to VTi
• Working on Knowledge Database

3. LinkedData
• Data
• Everything has a URI
• RDF
• HTTP
• Link with other datasources

4. Ruby
• Programming language
• ˚1993
• Made popular by Rails ~1995
• Object-oriented
• Dynamic typing (“scripting”)
• Duck typing

5. Rails
• Web application framework
• “Convention over configuration”
• OR mapping
• Model - View - Controller

6. Ruby and Rails
• Open Source

7. Architecture
Desktop PC
Internet
Server
DB

8. OR Mapping
Server
DB

9. OR Mapping
Person Production
people_prod
people productions
uctions

10. OR Mapping in Rails
• ActiveRecord

11. MVC
View
• Model
• View Model
• Controller
Controller

12. Rails
• Model: ActiveRecord
• View: ActionView
• Controller: ActionController

13. How is this interesting?
• Replace the
HTML view with
an RDF view!

14. Code

15. ReST
• Service Oriented Architecture
• HTTP methods
• Simple!

16. ReST principles
• Everything has a URI
• Actions are defined via URIs
• Actions are executed with HTTP methods:
GET, PUT, POST, DELETE

17. Rails and ReST
• ActiveResource

18. LinkedData and Rails
• Data : ActiveRecord
• Everything has a URI: ReST
• HTTP : ReST
• RDF : MVC, writing plugin
• Link with other datasources: Enrichment

19. VTi
• People
• Organisations
• Productions
• Documentation

20. VTi
• Existing database in MS SQL Server
• Migrated to PostgreSQL

21. VTi Migration
• Migration script in Ruby (+ ActiveRecord)

22. Migration opportunities
• Data cleaning
• Data restructuring
• Discovering new data structures:
• Seasons
• Genres
•…

23. Seasons

24. State
• Basic RDF: automatically
• Mid-term future: plugins
• Near future:
• add existing ontologies
• enrichment with other datasources

25. Thank You
tom@10to1.be