FW: [topicmapmail] Reference to Topic Maps

[Murray Altheim]

Lars Heuer wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Sorry in advance for some of the following statements. ;)
> 
> I don't understand the topicmaps.org problem. Maybe there are some
> troubles / fights / whatever behind the scenes, but IMO it is a shame
> that such a prominent place delivers no new content. Who (outside the
> Topic Maps community) knows about isotopicmaps.org? "topicmaps.org" is
> *the* location which is known in literature and other sources and it
> is not upto date. If I would be new to Topic Maps and look at the
> topicmaps.org content I'd think, that Topic Maps has failed: It
> delivers dead links and an ugly layout.
> 
> I don't understand why it is so difficult (how it can take years) to
> install at least a frontpage which points to the TMDM, XTM 2.0 and
> TMRM and other efforts.
> 
> If you need an ape who can design a frontpage in two hours which
> offers links to the isotopicmaps.org domain, please write me an
> e-mail. ;)

Lars,

Perhaps knowing the history behind topicmaps.org would help you
understand, but I'm really not in the mood to go into detail
publicly about the entire history of the community at this point.

Suffice it to say that the ad hoc (one year lifespan) organization
that created the XTM 1.0 Specification no longer exists. The
community that formed around it does, but the ownership (both
legal and social) of the domain does not have the same relation
to the community that it once had. At one time it was "our" place;
it no longer is. The TMDM, XTM 2.0 and TMRM efforts are all parts
of that splintering, and the topicmaps.org site is probably not
the place that is going to unite them all again. I don't believe
the various parties involved even want that, or would necessarily
even permit it.

It may be hard for you to understand this, but the topicmaps.org
web site is a touchy issue within the community. This has nothing
to do with difficulty in designing home pages, we don't need apes
who can design a home page in two hours. That's not the issue at
all. And yes, it's a shame.

As to being an ugly layout, that was my design. [perhaps some
diplomacy would help you in the future; apologizing beforehand
doesn't cut it with me.]

Murray

...........................................................................
Murray Altheim <murray06 at altheim.com>                              ===  = =
http://www.altheim.com/murray/                                     = =  ===
SGML Grease Monkey, Banjo Player, Wantanabe Zen Monk               = =  = =

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