2010 Unidata NetCDF Workshop > Best Practices
7.1 Purpose of Conventions
Why are conventions needed, if we have standard formats?
- Formats provide syntax for data.
- Formats usually provide multiple ways to represent data
semantics.
- Conventions are agreements about a single way to
represent data semantics, for example
- units of measure
- coordinate systems
- meanings of grid cells and cell boundaries
- Conventions make development of interoperable tools practical
- Conventions also add value to formats
- useful abstractions, such as coordinate systems
- customizations for specific communities (e.g. climate modeling)
2010 Unidata NetCDF Workshop > Best Practices
