[topicmapmail] The TAO of Topic Maps - revised edition

[Steve Pepper]

"The TAO of Topic Maps" has proven to be a very popular introduction to the 
basic concepts of topic maps. Lots of people have read it, recommended it 
to others, and linked to it. Copies have existed on both the GCA and 
Infoloom web sites, as well as Ontopia's.

The paper was originally written in March 2000, i.e., just two months after 
publication of the ISO topic map standard and almost a year before XTM 1.0 
was published. I have long wanted to revise it, to reflect the most 
important changes wrought by XTM, but was unable to find the time until 
recently. A new version has now been made available at the following URL:

     http://www.ontopia.net/topicmaps/materials/tao.html

I haven't had time to do the complete rewrite that was really needed, but 
the new version does include some mention of XTM, uses updated terminology 
(e.g., "published subject indicators" rather than "public subject 
descriptors") and avoids certain esoteric, HyTime-related issues (such as 
the distinction between the "occurrence role" and "occurrence type" 
attributes on occurrences).

To those of you who have linked to one of the various copies of the TAO in 
the past: First of all, many thanks. Secondly, please can you update your 
links to the URL above?

Thanks.

Steve

--
Steve Pepper, Chief Executive Officer <pepper@ontopia.net>
Convenor, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC34/WG3  Editor, XTM (XML Topic Maps)
Ontopia AS, Waldemar Thranes gt. 98, N-0175 Oslo, Norway.
http://www.ontopia.net/ phone: +47-23233080 GSM: +47-90827246