[sc34wg3] to advance Topic Maps

[Lars Marius Garshol]

* Robert Barta
| 
| As one of those experimenting with TM*L languages for ontology
| engineering I would tend think that neither model is, uhm,
| particularily helpful :-) Both are concentrating on factual maps and
| their abstract representation. So their importance is mainly for
| providing a common, technical denominator for the set of standards.

I would say that is absolutely right. The SAM doesn't attempt to do
anything more than describe the structure of the information an XTM or
HyTM document represents. I don't think it should do more, either.

What I am curious about is what more you think could be done in the
data model to support the TM*Ls.
 
| To me it sounds like people arguing about the basement of a house,
| how deep (one storey, two), how broad, etc. without really having a
| full plan plus static computations whether this will be a one-family
| house or the biggest residential tower on this planet (they build it
| now on the Gold Coast, that is).

Well, that's life in a committee for you. 
 
| Adding generic functionality for querying, constraining and updating
| needs, IMHO, a much more formal, disciplined and holistic coverage.

In what way?

| In this, shady light it seems that the SAM is the lesser of the two
| evils; simply because it is doing less evil :-)

Well, rather no evil than little evil, if you ask me. :)

-- 
Lars Marius Garshol, Ontopian         <URL: http://www.ontopia.net >
GSM: +47 98 21 55 50                  <URL: http://www.garshol.priv.no >