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I was so pleased to read this. Even if the terminology is imperfect, at least the concepts have been found to make sense. Priscilla Caplan Miguel Ferreira wrote: > > Dear all, > > At the Portuguese National Archives we are developing a digital > repository for preserving authentic digital objects based on Fedora > Commons. The repository fully supports PREMIS and has adopted all of its > current terminology. For example, we completely abandoned the term > "digital object" (because it was dubious) to begin talking about > Representations, which are composed of Files, which are composed of > Bitstreams/Bytestreams. > > I'm not sure which terminology other institutions are using both locally > and internationally, but to us at the University of Minho and the > National Archives, the PREMIS terminology as it is now makes perfect sense. > > Best regards, > Miguel Ferreira > > - - > Miguel Ferreira (researcher) > Department of Information Systems > University of Minho Campus de Azurém > 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal > http://www.dsi.uminho.pt/~ferreira/ > Phone: +351 253 510 261 / FAX: +351 253 510 300 / Ext.: 510261 > > > On Oct 28, 2007, at 3:27 PM, Evan Owens wrote: > >> Hi Priscilla, >> >> >> >> We use rendition rather than representation as the term in our own >> work at Portico. I don't think that the GPO's use of rendition is >> problematic: a PDF rendition is a single format single object while >> an HTML rendition is a compound object made up of one or more files. >> In our internal content model, the logical object (a journal article) >> includes a basket of components (XML, PDF, GIF, TIFF, JPEG, MPEG, etc. >> etc.) which can make up multiple renditions (print, web HTML, web >> PDF). We classify all the pieces in this basket by function: PDF are >> page renditions, HTML are web renditions, and most of the rest are >> components referenced by the renditions. We are just now encountering >> for the first time PDF files with links to external objects such >> spreadsheets; it looks like the PDF is getting to be more like the >> HTML in terms of compoundness. Our basic assumption for e-journals is >> that there are multiple renditions of a given intellectual object; >> that isn’t true for all kinds of content of course. But I still like >> rendition as a term. >> >> >> >> I recently found a diagram from November 2003 that I did for one of >> the early PreMIS discussions trying to sort out migration >> relationships (horizontal) and compound rendition relationships >> (vertical). We didn’t end up implementing this exactly this way at >> Portico, but the picture is interesting. I’ve included it below. >> >> >> >> ---- Evan >> >> >> >> *Figure *1 >> >> <image001.jpg> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: PREMIS Implementors Group Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf >> Of Priscilla Caplan >> Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 1:00 PM >> To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> >> Subject: [PIG] should we use a different term for representation? >> >> >> >> This question came up at the last Editorial Committee call and we >> >> decided to test the waters by asking the PIG: Should we use a different >> >> term for "representation"? >> >> >> >> In PREMIS, a representation is defined as a "Digital Object >> >> instantiating or embodying an Intellectual Entity. A representation is >> >> the set of stored Files and structural metadata needed to provide a >> >> complete and reasonable rendition of the Intellectual Entity." All >> >> semantic units in the PREMIS data dictionary are defined as appropriate >> >> to Files, Bitstreams or Representations. >> >> >> >> The original working group used the term "representation" partly to >> >> avoid confusion with the FRBR term "manifestation". The two concepts >> >> are close enough to cause confusion but not identical. We were aware of >> >> the meaning of "representation information" in OAIS, but we thought the >> >> OAIS concept and the PREMIS concept were different enough that there >> >> would be no confusion. >> >> >> >> I'm not sure that has been the case. There does seem to be some >> >> confusion over what a PREMIS representation is, but I don't know if any >> >> of it is due to confusion with the OAIS representation. >> >> >> >> In any case, it may not be wise to use the same term with two different >> >> meanings within the same (preservation) community. So, should we try to >> >> come up with a different term for the PREMIS representation now, as the >> >> Data Dictionary is being revised? Or leave it be, since nobody has >> >> actually complained about the term (that we know). >> >> >> >> And those who think we should use another term, what term might be >> >> preferable? I have thought of "rendition" but the US Government >> >> printing office uses that term in their FDsys with a different meaning, >> >> as an "Instance of a publication expressed using a specific digital >> >> format". Something has to convey the idea that a representation may >> >> consist of more than one file, and that the files can have different >> >> formats. Perhaps "assembly"? >> >> >> >> p >> >> >