(Mis) Understanding the Semantic Web, Part I

The information world throws around a lot of concepts and terminology that can be confusing for those outside the field (let's face it, they confuse a lot of us within the field as well). The Semantic Web is one of those concepts that I seem to run into quite often during class reading, and while the term does seem to be talked about, and referred to, quite often, I can't say that it's one I've seen defined in terms that your average internet/computer user would understand, or at least be able to simply explain. Even my attempts to use Google searches for strings such as "What the heck is Semantic Web?," or "I don't understand Semantic Web," or even "Semantic Web for Dummies" hasn't turned up much help (unless I want to buy the book Semantic Web for Dummies). So just what is the Semantic Web, and why the heck should we care? 

Piecing together the title at least creates an expectation of what the Semantic Web may be about. Web is immediately identifiable with the internet as a whole, perhaps more specifically in its role as facilitating linking between information resources. Semantics...well, that usually deals with the concept of meaning. Ok, good building blocks, I suppose, but not a great deal else to go on. 

Some of my (possibly wrong) impressions of Semantic Web based on readings I've done include:

-improvement of web interoperability

-emphasis on linked data and metadata

-a certain degree of standardization (format? programming languages?)

-there are allegedly some "great" things that can be done with it

-most people will work with the external manifestations of it rather than the "under the hood" aspects

In the hopes of improving clarity and understanding of this topic, and verifying whether I'm anywhere close to the mark, next time we'll look at exploring some definitions and descriptions of Semantic Web to see if we can start honing in on what it really is.