FW: [topicmapmail] Reference to Topic Maps

[Thompson, Miles]

Folks,

As a relative outsider I guess I don't know (and am quite happy to
remain in the dark) the political reasons behind the "failure of the
topicmaps.org website as a solid place to find information on Topic
Maps".

Call me naieve, but surely if there is a basic consensus then I don't
think we have reason or excuse to admit defeat on this important point.
TMRA 2007 seems like the perfect opportunity to sort this out.

By consensus I guess I mean consensus that an authoritative sounding
domain (with a high google rank for the word 'topicmap') that links to
*all* the most 'current' (most actively used and being developed)
topicmap specs that folks might ned to know about. 

By 'we' I don't just mean folks on the list but everyone in topicmaps
community at large (which is getting into some pretty major corporations
at this point).

There doesn't need to be agreement on what organisation shold be *the
authoritive source* for all topicmap specs (I can see how that's a much
more difficult problem) just an agreement on a url that we can all link
to and (I guess) yes, enough of an organisation around the ownership of
that domain to allow it to (a) link to the most current specs (by some
reasonably arrived decision) whoever is publishing them, and (b) to be
updated over time.

I don't know who the "Standards Council of Canada" is, but they sound
like nice people! Also I said before, I think the current site at
topicmaps.org looks lovely and its simplicity is good. Just missing some
key facts. However if topicmaps.org ain't gonna work, can 'we' not use
another domain? (TopicMapsTheMovie.com for example). Provided everybody
links to it, it will work. It doesn't even have to have anything much on
the site - just a very short introduction that can then link back to
whatever sites actually publish the specs?

I'm not gonna be at TMRA 2007 (as I keep saying I'm more outside the
forest looking in) but it would really be great if this could be sorted
out. Please?

Thanks

Miles Thompson
Technical Architect
CreditSights Inc



> -----Original Message-----
> From: topicmapmail-bounces at infoloom.com 
> [mailto:topicmapmail-bounces at infoloom.com] On Behalf Of Murray Altheim
> Sent: Tuesday, 12 June 2007 10:22 a.m.
> To: Lars Heuer
> Cc: topicmapmail at infoloom.com
> Subject: Re: FW: [topicmapmail] Reference to Topic Maps
> 
> 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          
>      = =  = =
> 
>    Recent New York Times headlines:
> 
>    As Senate Deal Sinks, So Does Bush's Power
>      The president's ability to push an agenda has faded to a 
> point where
>      he can fairly be judged to have entered his lame duck period.
> 
>    For One Visit, Bush Will Feel Pro-U.S. Glow
>      In Albania, which has not wavered in its support for American
>      policies, President Bush can do no wrong.
> 
>    Bush Is Greeted Warmly in Albania
>      His poll numbers may be down at home, but in Albania today,
>      President Bush was received like a rock star.
> 
>    Suggestion: Bush stays in Albania!
> _______________________________________________
> topicmapmail mailing list
> topicmapmail at infoloom.com
> http://www.infoloom.com/mailman/listinfo/topicmapmail
>