Re: Afghanistan War Diary as topic map in Maiana

Hi Benjamin,

[...]
> If you feel like you're more of a military expert than we are, or if
> you know Afghanistan, its localities, its inhabitants and how they're
> called by different parties, you're free to produce a semantically
> rich topic map.

I am neither a military nor Afghanistan expert but I have a somewhat
limited knowledge about Topic Maps.

> Our mission was just to show that you can convert data to Topic Maps
> with barely any effort and that you can go on from there doing things
> you care about with the data, like querying reports around cities.

Yes, you can translate anything Topic Maps: Databases, Excel sheets,
shopping list... I just disbelieve in the usefulness of these
exercises if you don't add semantics. As you said: garbage in, garbage
out.

> Many people still think "Topic Maps" is something like "Google Maps"
> and this is just one way of showing them what it really is.

Does the map show what Topic Maps is about?

Anyway, there's nothing wrong about the topic map. It's just a topic
map. I just miss the "WOW! Cool! A topic map! Now I understand the
WikiLeaks facts better!" feeling.

Best regards,
Lars
-- 
Semagia 
<http://www.semagia.com>

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