Re: Using TM to help define the future of XML

Lars,

I don't suppose you are suggesting that *we* might have some
responsibility for the failure of topic maps to thrive? 

Perish the thought! Surely it is the fault of others for not listening,
spending their resources to implement our ideas, etc. 

;-)

I am sure the guys that started Google just sat in their dorm room until
people showed up with servers, wheel barrows full of money, programming
staff, etc. 

Hey! I have a 20' by 20' office with no windows. Does that count as a
dorm room? 

Sorry, it was either be humorous or say something even more
non-productive.

I was about to send an email to the guy who posted a comment from
OpenSecrets.org, see: http://tm.durusau.net/?p=4773 for my blog entry on
their data set.

Then I thought, nah, I am tired of writing about how topic maps, if you
used them, would make you (insert your societies definition of
successful) and then some. 

Oh, I am still going to blog that way, at least to some extent, but for
someone like the OpenSecrets group, I need to show how topic maps make a
difference, not just talk about it. 

I am looking at their data now to see:

1) What would make the easiest conversion into a topic map that would
offer the greatest difference over their current methods for access?

2) Once converted into a topic map, what are the display options? (The
default Maiana-type display is a deal killer.)

Not looking to do all the congressional data for the US or even all the
data for the last presidential campaign but something manageable that
shows off topic maps to its best advantage. 

I rather doubt, for example, that merging different identifications for
the same subjects is going to be an issue. At least within the data
sets. Participation in associations are likely to be a hot point.

Suggestions/comments?

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Patrick

PS: Yes, I remain interested in Andrew's original suggestion as well.
Graph Minders would be my preference, to avoid the limits of groves.

You know, could be with the rise of graph databases, that graph minders
might not be that difficult to add to current offerings. Worth some
thought and investigation. 

-- 
Patrick Durusau
patrick-Q/[email protected]
Chair, V1 - US TAG to JTC 1/SC 34
Convener, JTC 1/SC 34/WG 3 (Topic Maps)
Editor, OpenDocument Format TC (OASIS), Project Editor ISO/IEC 26300
Co-Editor, ISO/IEC 13250-1, 13250-5 (Topic Maps)

Another Word For It (blog): http://tm.durusau.net
Homepage: http://www.durusau.net
Twitter: patrickDurusau
Newcomb Number: 1


On Thu, 2010-12-02 at 12:03 +0100, Lars Heuer wrote:
> Hi Alexander,
> 
> [...]
> > * First hindrance;
> [...]
> > * Fourth hindrance
> [...]
> 
> * Fifth hindrance: Topic Maps hasn't been able to show that it is
> useful. Maybe a few portals are driven by Topic Maps and everyday some
> smart developer thinks that re-inventing a Topic Maps engine is a good
> idea and we have a few Omnigator clones and web services but do we
> have any project we can point to and say "Look at that, that's one
> reason why Topic Maps may be a solution for your problem"?
> 
> Well, I could enumerate abt. 10 more reasons but it's such a lovely
> day and I'll rather try to build a snowman :)
> 
> Best regards,
> Lars