My profound passion for Web architecture and Linked Data encouraged me to pursue a PhD degree, which I obtained in 2014 from Ghent University.
My dissertation details my mission to enable a new generation of intelligent Web clients through hypermedia and semantics, enabling a more serendipitous Web.
You can read my dissertation online or download it in PDF format.
If you’re interested to learn more, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Abstract

Ever since its creation at the end of the 20^th century, the Web has profoundly shaped the world’s information flow. Nowadays, the Web’s consumers no longer consist of solely people, but increasingly of machine clients that have been instructed to perform tasks for people. Lacking the ability to interpret natural language, machine clients need a more explicit means to decide what steps they should take. This thesis investigates the obstacles for machines on the current Web, and provides solutions that aim to improve the autonomy of machine clients. In addition, we will enhance the Web’s linking mechanism for people, to enable serendipitous reuse of data between Web applications that were not connected previously.

Bibliographic entry

Table of contents

• Preface
• Summary
• Chapter 1 – Introduction
• Chapter 2 – Hypermedia
• Chapter 3 – Semantics
• Chapter 4 – Functionality
• Chapter 5 – Proof
• Chapter 6 – Affordance
• Chapter 7 – Serendipity
• Chapter 8 – Conclusion

Comments and questions