Re: User friendly term for Metadata

[Roy Anderson <royanderson -at- MINDSPRING -dot- COM>]

The handy technical writing glossary at
http://www.iinet.net.au/~mbuckler/glossary.shtml#M defines Metadata as:

"Metadata
  Information about data in a document. For example, the name of
  the author."

Apparently, "metadata" has become the cool, obtuse, and abbreviated
successor to confusing terms such as document, file, field, variable,
name, label, attributes, and properties.

Mom once challenged me to "Learn at least one new thing every day."
"Mom, I learned about 'metadata' today. It was an accident, honest."
(Grin.)

I worry about the future of our country when someone invents a need
to define/document the data about metadata.

Roy


Beth Agnew wrote:
>
> Trying to find a more user friendly term for metadata might lead to
> inaccuracy because I don't think the term can be sufficiently deconstructed.
> Metadata as "data about data" is pretty easy for users to wrap their minds
> around, especially if you give a few examples. Sometimes people just have to
> learn new words.
>
> When we talk about metadata in our documentation, we explain that every data
> item has certain attributes, such as a file name, file size, location, and
> so on. Once users connect the idea of data having characteristics that can
> be catalogued, they "get" metadata fairly quickly.
>
> --Beth
> Beth Agnew
> Manager, Information Development
>
> InSystems Technologies Inc.
> 65 Allstate Parkway, Suite 100  Tel: (905) 513-1400 ext. 280
> Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 9X1        Fax: (905) 513-1419
> mailto:bagnew -at- insystems -dot- com    Visit us at: http://www.insystems.com
>
> See my friendly face at:
> http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/bute/52/techwr-l/a.htm#agnewb
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pete swisher [mailto:PSwisher -at- QUARK -dot- COM]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 1999 10:50 AM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: User friendly term for Metadata
>
> Hi.
>
> Metadata means "data about data."  In the software I'm documenting, an end
> user can build custom data views using metadata fields. For example, I could
> choose the file name, file location, thumbnail, and file size metadata
> fields in building such a data view.  Then, when I view a file, I only see
> that information.
>
> However, I feel metadata could be intimidating to our end users.  Our
> audience ranges from sys admins to librarians. A possible choice is
> "header", but that's a little vague.  Does anyone have some good
> suggestions?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Pete


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