Knowledge, Belief, Opinion

In general, one can make no practical distinction between these three concepts. Making such a distinction is a matter of interpretation, in the context of given goals. It couldn't be made objectively, in a generic way, by tools. It wouldn't be stable through time or across different contexts.
The only general assertions one can make are negative, such as this one.

Knowledge, belief and opinion are thus just information, and should be dealt with, at large, in the same way. This is especially true in the context of communications.

The idea of a universal knowledge was a widely spread belief of the modern era. It led to the search of formal semantics. Such semantics can however only be partial, and based on discrimination.

Thus, for example, the CM Body of Knowledge is no less biased than the Don't Use UCM FAQ. It is only more naive and less apt to evolve in reaction to changes (e.g. to the level of complexity of the systems to manage). For the same reason, standards have given way, in the domain of software, to Open Source.

-- MarcGirod - 18 Nov 2007