Semantic Web Application Areas

Currently, computers are changing from single, isolated devices into entry points to a worldwide network of information exchange and business transactions called the World Wide Web (WWW). However, the success of the WWW has made it increasingly difficult to find, access, present and maintain the information required by a wide variety of users. In response to this problem, many new research initiatives and commercial enterprises have been set up to enrich the available information with machine-processable semantics. This Semantic Web will provide intelligent access to heterogeneous, distributed information, enabling software products (agents) to mediate between user needs and the information sources available. In this paper we describe some areas for application of this new technology. We focus on ongoing work in the fields of knowledge management and electronic commerce. We also take a perspective on the semantic web-enabled web services which will help to bring the semantic web to its full potential