Eleta explained it this way, and credited it to R. David Lankes:
Your data:
Your metadata:
The Candy Bar Metaphor
3 Comments to “The Candy Bar Metaphor”
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To expand:
Your data:
Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.
Your descriptive metadata:
The nutrition facts about Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.
Quality level rating by a board of food experts for this particular candy. (Some samples were taken).
Administrative metadata:
the upc, barcode, and expiration date, and how many types the expiration date has been “corrected”. (The administration of this particular store is just a little crooked.)
Structural metadata:
ingredients and recipe (recipe carries NDA to view; big, big trouble to violate).
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great analogy…i prefer payday though. whole peanuts instead of creamy peanut butter.
the metadata would be on the upc barcode, wouldn’t it? it means something the the computer, but totally invisible to the user/eater.
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that is a good description I like to eat them and that just makes me want to eat them more..
