Chiusano Joseph wrote:
>
> Given that the term "matchmaker" is often used in semantic technologies
> to denote actions by inference agents, is it possible that we mean to
> use a different term here?
>
The slide doesn't actually use the term--that's just my own
characterization of its role. A registry can certainly facilitate
semantic matchmaking. Consider this blurb about the "The OWL-S Matchmaker":
----
The Matchmaker is also a web service that helps make connections between
service requesters and service providers. The Matchmaker serves as a
"yellow pages" of service capabilities. The Matchmaker allows users
and/or software agents to find each other by providing a mechanism for
registering service capabilities. Registration information is stored as
advertisements. When the Matchmaker agent receives a query from a user
or another software agent, it searches its dynamic database of
advertisements for agents that can fulfill the incoming request(s).
Thus, the Matchmaker also serves as a liaison between a service
requester and a service provider.
----
<http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~softagents/daml_Mmaker/daml-s_matchmaker.htm>
So matchmaker doesn't seem too out of place, even if _semantic_
matchmaking pushes the envelope at the experimental/academic end of
the spectrum.
Another possibility is the "Trader" concept from RM-ODP. Or we just
do without a pithy, public role name :-(
--
Richard
