Comment by panda888888

The concept of an ontology is really simple: thing - relationship - thing. Example: peanut butter - goes well with - jelly.

This is in contract to a taxonomy, which is hierarchical:

(upper-level category): Sandwiches

(sub-type): peanut butter & jelly

(sub-type): grilled cheese

(sub-type): BLT

(upper-level category): Soups

(sub-type): tomato

(sub-type): chicken noodle

Taxonomies are kinda boring because they're just hierarchical lists.

Ontologies are cool; the relationships are usually the important thing.