English Abstract Meta-information, information on -in this report
electronic- information, is useful in finding the right information within a
distributed environment like RIVM. But it is only useful if all sorts of
electronic information, databases, models and others, are described alike.
As RIVM covers various research disciplines, meta-data should be able to
cover all of those. In 1992 and 1993 a project team looked into different
standards on describing meta-information, within and outside RIVM. This
report describes the resulting proposal for a meta-information standard.
The standard concerned is based on DIF: Directory Interchange Format. Dif
is a standard used often for data on global change, but is increasingly used
outside that field. The format is used by a number of institutions in the
world, among which are the Environmental Protection Agency in the United
States, the United States Geological Survey and the World Health
Organization. For use within RIVM a number of fields has been added to DIF.
Those fields are access and restrictions, updat frequency and latest update,
technical specifications, contact on copyright issues, supplier, language,
resolutions, coverages and sample. A possible syntax for meta-data based on
the resulting standard is given. But it is stated that any syntax in which
the different fields can be identified. is allowed. The standard is meant
to be an interchange format, and is long as a syntax facilitates
interchange, it complies with the format. For paper cataloques based on the
meta-information no standard presentation format is
prescribed.
