Re: Dynamic vs. Fixed World Views was Re: MARCXML to Topic Maps? MODS to Topic Maps?

Hello Alex, Patrick, and the rest

I really enjoy you discussing on this subject. It is very instructive to 
read Alex revealing practices of library world and possible pitfalls on 
MARCXML conversions. Somehow I know the problem field. However, being a 
practical person, and really wanting the MARCXML to Topic Maps 
conversion, I would like to throw in an idea. This is mainly to Alex, 
but broader feedback is always more than welcome.

How about converting MARCXML to Topic Maps with a schema similar to MARC 
to MARCXML conversion. In other words, let's just make topic map a 
wrapper for MARCXML data, and let's not try to interpret data in fields. 
Yet another words, let's try to model MARCXML schema somehow with topic 
maps. I admit the resulting topic map is not very elegant for common 
people but library people probably find it nice as it mirrors the 
structure of MARCXML and doesn't mess up their fields. I imagine, it is 
a nightmare for a librarian if some would mess up with her/his data 
fields :) Yet another advantage would be an inverse mapping. I suppose 
it would be possible to convert these topic maps back to MARCXML without 
loosing information. Alex and all you other library people, would you 
consider this kind conversion useful? I am happy to explain the 
conversion idea detailed if I didn't succeed it in the first run - 
although it isn't that clear to me either, yet.

Kind Regards,
Aki / Wandora Team