[topicmapmail] TMRM and TMDM: little differences between assertion and associations

[Steve Pepper]

* Thomas Schwotzer:

| > The ISO 13250-2 document defines the TM data model whereas
| > 123250-5 defines the TM reference model.
| 
| [...]
| 
| > There are a view other (little) discrepancies like this.
| > I'm sure, the DM editors are aware of the RM document.
| > But where came the differences from?
| > Is it intended to change the RM? Is it allowed to soften
| > the RM requirements? Or do I misinterpret both documents?
| > 
| > Maybe, it's an academic problem. Nevertheless, I'm curious.

You are correct that the TMDM and TMRM are at odds on this
issue. The good news is that the inconsistency will shortly be
resolved.

* Jan Algermissen:

| the unclear state of the two (in some ways, but only some) contradictory
| abstract structures is mainly due to misunderstandings and politics
| within the ISO process.

Let's put it this way: The ISO committee that is responsible for
Topic Maps (SC34/WG3) consists of a lot of very talented and
very passionate people. Sometimes passion can get in the way of
mutual understanding :-) (In any case, communication is hard when
you go far beyond what has been done before, as we have done...)

Well, we had a 5-day meeting in Amsterdam last week and I am
pleased to report that many differences have now been overcome.
Those that remain will hopefully be addressed at a workshop to
be held in Montreal, Canada, in conjunction with the Extreme
Markup conference, on July 31st - August 1st. That workshop will
focus on every aspect of the Topic Maps Reference Model.

SC34 has put out a call for "contributions from interested
parties" before that date. Those contributions could take the
form of comments on the current working draft of the TMRM:

  http://www.jtc1sc34.org/repository/0460.htm

Or they could take the form of alternative proposals (complete
or incomplete) for a "foundational model" for Topic Maps. One
aspect of such a model on which there appears to be broad
agreement is that it would reduce the model of the TMDM (which
includes names, occurrences and associations) to one that only
contains associations (or their equivalent).

The TMDM, which is now at CD status, is available at

  http://www.jtc1sc34.org/repository/0443.htm

An overview of what came out of last week's meeting can be
gleaned from the WG3 recommendations, which will be posted
shortly (i.e., sometime before next Monday morning) at

  http://www.jtc1sc34.org/repository/0505.htm

Summaries of the work on TMQL and TMCL will shortly be posted
on the mailing lists tmql-wg and tmcl-wg respectively. See:

  http://www.isotopicmaps.org/tmql/
  http://www.isotopicmaps.org/tmcl/

for more details.

Best regards,

Steve

--
Steve Pepper <pepper@ontopia.net>
Convenor, ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 34/WG 3