[topicmapmail] [ANN] Topic Map Explorer Version 1.0

[Thomas B. Passin]

rick coope wrote:

> 
> Semantic Web Technologies announce the release of Topic Map Explorer - the
> next generation of personal knowledge management software.

I have downloaded this application and tried it out for all of ten 
minutes.  I am disappointed to report the following -

1) This is not a production quality release, event though it is styled 
"verson 1.0".  I got numerous exceptions (which were at least 
recoverable) and many anomalies, including a mislabled dialog component.

2) This is not a topic map application in any way, shape, or form.  It 
does not export or import any recognized topic map format.  Instead it 
exports rdf!  But it does not import general rdf.  Or rather, on the 
simple rdf files  I tried, it claimed success, but the display showed 
nothing.

The designer appears not to understand the basics of topic maps.  There 
is no way to indicate the subject of a topic.  There are no scopes. 
There are only binary relations.  The only display is a tree view. 
There are no PSIs.  I was unable to delete a relation I had created.  I 
could not find a way to change a relationship type once one had been 
created.  You are supposed to be able to designate the "type" of a 
topic, but that didn't work.  You can't relate property types to each other.

I was also able to (unintentionaly) create an loop between two topics I 
tried to relate, so that the tree view display kept unfolding the same 
two topics ad infinitum (if I had wanted to keep expanding the tree).

Of course, the fact that there was no documentation probably didn't 
help.  Still, it is *inexcusable* to call this a "topic map explorer" 
and not have a *single* characteristic that disinguishes topic maps and 
makes them rich and valuable.

Setting aside the issue of whether this application has anything to do 
with topic maps per se, could it be useful in and of itself?  Setting 
aside current bugs and questionable interface features - which are 
numerous - in my view, not with just a tree view, and not with the 
apparent limitations of the internal model.  I say "apparent 
limitations", because it is possible that the internal model is richer 
than the app exposes (maybe there can be a hierarachy of association 
types, for examples), but one could not know by the current interface.

What really bothers me is that this app could give topic maps a bad 
name, or at the least mislead people into thinking that topic maps are 
very limited and don't do anything that hasn't been seen in many apps 
before.

I almost feel like I should apologize to the developer of this product 
for my strong words, but I mean them all.  Whoever you are, this product 
would have to go a long way before I would even consider trying another 
evaluation copy.  I don't even feel like encouraging you to try to 
modify and extend it, because the current starting point is so weak.

I hope I am wrong about my last statement, because I would really like 
to see a modestly priced, easy to use topic map application.

Regretfully yours

Tom P

-- 
Thomas B. Passin
Explorer's Guide to the Semantic Web (Manning Books)
http://www.manning.com/catalog/view.php?book=passin