The role of Ontologies in Information Interchange.

Currently computers are changing from single isolated devices to entry points in a world wide network of information exchange and business transactions called the World Wide Web (WWW). Therefore support in data, information, and knowledge exchange becomes the key issue in current computer technology. Ontologies provide a shared and common understanding of a domain that can be communicated between people and application systems. Therefore, they may play a major role in supporting information exchange processes in various areas. Based on new internet techniques Electronic Commerce will become increasingly important in the B2B area. In the paper we sketch various kinds of Electronic commerce and focus on on-line market places that will not only change the technological process but the business model of various industrial segments. We also discuss some of the current technological limitations an how they will be bypassed by the use of ontologies.