[topicmapmail] Re: Why Topic Maps (a collaborative effort)

[Jan Algermissen]

Hi,

let's sum up what we got so far (thanks to Marc, Kal and Lars):

Why should topic maps be used for information organisation ?
------------------------------------------------------------

(I'll move Kal's suggestion to the top, because I agree with him
 that it's far too easy to loose sight of it.)

* The topic map paradigm is incredibly simple and intuitive. Period!
  (BTW: is it 'sexy' ?)

* Topic maps appear as an additional navigation and access layer
  on top of existing information resources, they DO NOT require
  that these information resource be modified, nor do they interfer
  with any existing processes these resources are involved in.

* The topic naming constraint fulfills one of the primary objectives
  of information organisation: vocabulary control.

* The modularization and merging (thanks Marc) capabilities of the
  topic maps paradigm support distributed and/or iterative development
  of knowledge structures.

* Topic Maps provide the semantics to distinguish between addressable
  subjects (information resources themselves) and non-addressable subjects
  (subjects that information resources are about)

* With scope Topic Maps provide a means to limit the validity of statements (or 
  assertions, or topic characteristic assignments) to certain situations.

* The topic maps standards are open standards. (BTW, standards such as NITF and
  NewsML also interchange 'topic map information')

* With the way topic maps represent relationships they provide a way to make
  statements about these relationships without the need for an additional
  reification process. In other words: the relationships are prereified.

Any more ?



-- 
Jan Algermissen
Consultant & Programmer

Tel:   ++49 (0)40 89 700 511
Fax:   ++49 (0)40 89 700 841 
Email: algermissen@acm.org
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