Tools By Type
The entries below define the classification types for the entries in the Tools Catalog. Click on the name of a tool type to be taken to a listing of the catalog entries for that type. To then see a more detailed view of the item, including a brief description, a link to a website further describing the tool, or comments about the tool, click on the tool title to be taken to a separate page for that specific tool.
Data Standards define established sets of codes used to represent consistent information sets with a uniform meaning. Data Standards can be simple or complex. A simple standard might define a list of codes and their meanings; for example: country codes or language codes. A complex standard might involve a system for defining a variety of concepts and how they relate to each other; for example an ontology.
De facto standards define products or systems with market dominance which define the methods by which other products performing similar functions need to interface, or by which they are measured.
Internet Standards define specifications developed to enable free and open access in an effective manner using the internet as a communications medium
Models are configurations of specifications that define the relationships of elements to each other in such a manner that (attempts to) explain operation of some system. Models tend to take the form of configurations of data suitable for loading the specifications into some specified general purpose software modeling application, or they take the form of a software library where the model is specified algorithmically in the software code.
Software Applications are software tools which have a standalone capabitity to support performance of some functional application. They may or may not provide a mechanism for storage and retention of data. They are primarily distinguished as executable software systems with the ability to accept some form of user input and to produce results based on that input. For the purposes of the tool catalog they are primarily distinguished from Software Libraries which do not have this ready to run capability.
Software Libraries are software tools which perform some functional application, but which do not have an ability to be executed and used on a standalone basis. They may or may not provide mechanisms for data storage, data transformation, data capture, data presentation, searching, or other forms of data manipulation. For the purposes of the tool catalog they are primarily distinguished from Software Applications which have a ready to run capability. Software Libraries are primarily distinguished as software subsystems which perform some speciality task on behalf of a larger application system.
Standards define consistent methods or processes for accomplishing things or describing things. For our purposes we tend to be interested in standards that define consistent classification schemes (coding standards) and other types of process standards. These may include:
- Data Standard - an established set of codes used to define a consistent information set with a uniform set of meaning.
- Technical Standard - an established norm or requirement about technical systems which provides for the uniform operation of such systems and for their ability to interact with each other.
- Internet Standard - a specification or guideline developed to enable free and open access in an effective manner using the internet as a communications medium.
- De facto Standard - the methods, procedures, interfaces or data conventions used by a product or system with market dominance which defines the methods by which other products performing similar functions need to interface or operate, or by which they are measured.
Technical Standards define established norms or requirements about technical system which provide for the uniform operation of such system and for their ability to interact with each other. A language standard, including its grammar and syntax, is one example of a technical standard.
For purposes of the Tool Catalog Web Documents include text documents, slide presentations, videos, images, articles or other web content providing content related to some subject domain of interest to the Architected Futures™ community. In that sense, they are tools similar to the resources identified in the site bibliography. The distinction between Websites and Web Documents is that Website listings are pointing to a whole site as a general resource, and Web Documents are pointing to a specific document, sile show, video, etc as a resource for a particular concept or point of focus.
For purposes of the Tool Catalog Websites tend to be information resources related to some subject domain of interest to the Architected Futures™ community. In that sense, they are tools similar to the resources identified in the site bibliography. The distinction between Websites and Web Documents is that Website listings are pointing to a whole site as a general resource, and Web Documents are pointing to a specific document, sile show, video, etc as a resource for a particular concept or point of focus.