[topicmapmail] Stupid question---thanks

[Jan Algermissen]

Suellen Stringer-Hye wrote:

> For fun, here's a "real life" use case that I'm trying to execute to
> see if it might not be a good application for Topic Maps. It also
> illustrates how a Topic Map might lay on top of a database. Please
> feel free to critique my logic and intent. I see so many uses for
> Topic Maps in libraries but am looking for ways to integrate them
> with existing structures simply to show their value to the
> community.

Yes, such use-cases are definitely a need. Here are some comments:
 
> <topic id="Iraq">
>  <instanceOf>
>     <topicRef xlink:href="#book"/>
>   </instanceOf>

Why is 'Iraq' (which represents the concept of the country 'Iraq' I assume)
an instance of book ??

>  <occurrence>
>     <instanceOf>
>       <topicRef xlink:href="#website"/>
>     </instanceOf>
>     <resourceRef
> xlink:href="http://www.cwru.edu/UL/preserve/Etana/babyl_legal_and
> _bus_docs_v6_pt2/babyl_legal_bus_docs_v6_pt2.htm/"/>
>   </occurrence>

Despite the danger to provoke religious wars, I'd say that there is a significant
difference between the class of a resource and the class of an occurrence. What you
want to say here is (I think) that the _resource_ is an instance of the class #webpage
but what the markup expresses is that the relationship between the subject 'Iraq' and
the resource is of type #webpage. (I must admit that I take your approach quite often too,
as it would require librarian work to decide 'how' a particular subject occurrs in a
resource) I think that the use of 'real' occurrence types would significantly add
to the information a topic map conveys.

Here are some types  that I think are suitable occurrence types:
description, definition, central-subject-of-discourse, mention, evaluation,

and some resource types:

webpage, article, book, drawing

I am not sure about 'homepage' for example.


> <occurrence>
>     <instanceOf>
>       <topicRef xlink:href="#record"/>
>     </instanceOf>
>     <resourceRef
> xlink:href="http://lib11.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib/fulldisplay.pl/"/>
>   </occurrence>
>   <baseName>
>     <baseNameString>Iraq</baseNameString>
>   </baseName>
> </topic>

I think that the XTM 1.0 DTD requires <baseName> to occurr before <occurrence>

I think hat it would also be a good idea to make the identity of the subjects
that your topics represent more explicit, either by using subjectIndicators as
developed by the OASIS GeoLang TC for example,

 http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/geolang/

or by using more descriptive base names.

[ ... similar topics snipped ..]
> 
> <topic id="website">
>   <baseName>
>     <baseNameString>Full Text</baseNameString>
>   </baseName>
> </topic>

Beware that the id of a topic might not be visible at all
in an application and that the only way to decide what the
subject of this topic is might be the name 'Full Text'.

I think that it is dangerous (of course it is convenient when authoring) to
use descriptive IDs on topic elements. Try to use t1,t2,t3 and you will find
yourself being forced to think much more about your subject identity and your
base names. (this was at least my experience when I stopped using descriptive IDs)

> 
> <topic id="book">
>   <baseName>
>     <baseNameString>Book</baseNameString>
>   </baseName>
> </topic>
> 
> <topic id="record">
>   <baseName>
>     <baseNameString>Record</baseNameString>
>   </baseName>
> </topic>
> 
> </topicMap>
> 
> A couple of notes on the above:

..you might want to include your notes in the map as
resourceData elements, such as

<topic id="record">
   <baseName>
     <baseNameString>Record</baseNameString>
   </baseName>
    <occurrence>
      <instanceOf>
        <topicRef xlink:href="#note" />
      </instanceOf>
      <resourceData>
       The records in the database are pointers to web resources
       maintained internationally
      </resourceData>
   </occurrence>
</topic>

> I'd love
> to hear your comments. 

Hope they 'help' and/or are interesting.

JAn




-- 
Jan Algermissen
Consultant & Programmer

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