Wikidata labels are simple. This is due to the necessities of the project. We need one single label to display. Having Wikidata labels with ranks, qualifieres, sources, etc. simply would not work in the UI.
Labels and names in reality are indeed extremely complex. But as already pointed out, this kind of information can be expressed with Statements, and we already have properties to do so and will probably get more such properties when the multi- and monolingual text properties get developed.
So, yes, Gerard, Daniel would be wrong if he would say that labels are simple in the world. But that is not what he said. He was simply referring to labels as they are already implemented in Wikidata, and that serve a very specific purpose - and for these, he is absolutely right to say that ranks do not apply for them.
The only purpose of labels and descriptions is to provide identifying information and to provide something to display for an item. The only purpose for aliases is to increase recall for search. I would consider having an alias containing a frequent typo absolutely OK, if it helps people find that item. They don't have to be right. They don't have to be sourced. They have to be useful.
Statements on the other hand contain the actual content of Wikidata. And those have ranks, qualifiers, sources, etc. Statemnt can contain historical names of cities, and say from when to when they were used. Queries can then some day use this information and display it within the context of a specific query. But that is not what Wikidata labels are there for.
I hope that makes sense.
On Fri Mar 07 2014 at 12:01:32 AM, Gerard Meijssen < gerard.meijssen@gmail.com> wrote:
Hoi, The name was Batavia at that time in any language.
The issue is that when you fudge information in this way, you can not have proper queries. This is why Daniel is wrong and the notion that labels are simple needs to be revisited. It is not rare at all and it exists in many domains. This is why it is wrong, wrong, wrong. Thanks, GerardM
On 6 March 2014 19:31, Joe Filceolaire filceolaire@gmail.com wrote:
Use 'Birth name (P513)' (string datatype) for Cassius Clay or 'Official name' (Proposed property with monolingual text datatype) for Batavia - with date qualifiers.
Joe
On Thu, Mar 6, 2014 at 4:12 PM, Gerard Meijssen < gerard.meijssen@gmail.com> wrote:
Hoi, So how do I indicate that up to a particular date Jakarta was called Batavia ? Muhammed Ali was called Cassius Clay ? There is no discussion about it. All there is an (potentially perceived) inability to use appropriate labels at will.
Labels are not simple. Thanks, Gerard
On 6 March 2014 17:07, Daniel Kinzler daniel.kinzler@wikimedia.dewrote:
Am 06.03.2014 16:27, schrieb Gerard Meijssen:
Hoi, I hope this will be revisited. Many items change there name and
dependent on a
date they or it are called differently.
If the name is something that is changed, debated, or otherwise a subject of discussion, create a statement using an appropriate property. The point of having labels is precisely that they are simple.
-- daniel
-- Daniel Kinzler Senior Software Developer
Wikimedia Deutschland Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e.V.
Wikidata-l mailing list Wikidata-l@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikidata-l
Wikidata-l mailing list Wikidata-l@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikidata-l
Wikidata-l mailing list Wikidata-l@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikidata-l
Wikidata-l mailing list Wikidata-l@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikidata-l