Many people hear the word semantic and they immediately think of the word "semantics." Unlike "semantics" which refers to human language—the specific words and expressions used to explain something to someone else. "It's just semantics" usually refers to information that is not necessary for someone to truly grasp a subject. Semantic, on the other hand, refers to an internet concept.

Semantic is a word that refers to how information is shared and transmitted via the World Wide Web. The idea behind Semantic is a process by which web sites are judged in terms of what they have to offer the World Wide Web as a whole. Semantic takes a variety of criteria into account when determining a website's usefulness: design, content, usability, data exchange, and coding. Semantic transfers the bulk of the "work" and "understanding" of the World Wide Web's contents from humans to computers. It puts computers in charge of making sure that humans find what they need and want instead of leaving it up to humans to use the right searches, etc.

The idea seems good: Semantic allows the computers to understand websites on a deeper level and it gives computers the opportunity to comprehend the World Wide Web for the users. This does not mean that Semantic is free from criticism.

Some people insist that it a human's perception of the World Wide Web that makes it useful. Human perspective and preference are what determine the look, feel and operations of the internet right now. Humans control the internet. Would humans enjoy the internet as much if the computers were in charge? In a nutshell, that is what might happen if Semantic ends up being successful and gains popularity.

Other experts insist that the evolution from the internet as we know it right now to the Semantic web is a natural one but that it has to be allowed to progress naturally. Forcing it to happen at an unnatural pace could make Semantic fail.

Some worry about whether or not Semantic would make it easier to censor the web and whether or not semantic would enable privacy violations. Semantic would make it possible for organizations to control how much information is available on the web and how it is presented to the public. Semantic would also make it very difficult to maintain a person's anonymity on the internet—something that is very important to most internet users.

Semantic will not be easy to create. The time that it will take to create the Semantic web and to republish the content from the current website is unprecedented. There are many web applications that are being worked on right now that could help to speed up this process but the likelihood of the World Wide Web becoming the Semantic Web any time soon are very slim. For one thing, the Semantic web is not yet seen as a "must have" by most internet users.

It is going to take a while to fully develop and test the Semantic web so there is no need to worry. Your beloved internet is not going to be changing any time soon. It might not change at all!

Attendance Up 30% at SemTech 2010, the World’s Largest Semantic Technology Conference
Over 1,200 technology experts, researchers, analysts, content providers, developers, and customers listened to top presenters and industry influencers speak about the hottest trends and topics in semantic technology today.

SemTech Hosts Web Day 3.0 at its Annual Semantic Technology Conference, Thursday, June 24th - Limited Seating Still Available
David Recordon, Senior Open Programs Manager of Facebook and best-selling Author, David Siegel will keynote the conference.

SemTech 2010 Announces Late Breaking Conference News
Recent additions to the leading semantic technology conference include presentations by Facebook, Wikipedia, ViewChange.org, & Amdocs, as well as a panel on recent semantic technology company acquisitions.