[sc34wg3] Topic Map View

[Patrick Durusau]

Dear Lutz,

Lutz Maicher wrote:
> Dear Patrick,
> 
> thanks for your interesting answer, but my confusion lasts.
> Perhaps we take a look at Newcomb's formulation (and bear your example in
> mind for later discussion).
> 

Sorry, will try again.

> 
>>Note that in Newcomb's formulation, a 'subject-centric information
>>environment' = a subject proxy.
>>
>> >>Newcomb suggested the following formulation of topic map view:
>> >>
>> >>**Newcomb**
>> >>(a representation of a topic map of type X)
>> >>+ (a set of rules for interpreting topic maps of type X)
>> >>--------------------------------------------------------
>> >>= (a topic map view) -- an interpretation in which everything has
>> >>                         become explicit as a set of subject-centric
>> >>                         information environments.
>> >>
> 
> 
> Perhaps we can clarifiy some terms. After that, we can proceed our
> discussion.
> 
> In the first line two terms are still unclear. What does "representation"
> mean in this context? 

Nothing more than a topic map, in order to have rules applied to it, has 
to be instantiated or represented.

> For the term "topic map of type X" I ask which rules
> does I need to determine the type of a topic map?
>

The TMRM defines the term Topic Map Application much along the same 
lines as SGML Application in ISO 8879:

> 4.279 SGML application: Rules that apply SGML to a text processing
> application. An SGML application includes a formal specification of
> the markup constructs used in the application, expressed in SGML. It
> can also include a non-SGML definition of semantics, application
> conventions, and/or processing.

Or as Steve put it in a presentation in Montreal:

Used here as in “SGML Application”.  In other words, a Topic Map 
Application (TMA) is:

	Rules for applying the notion of Topic Maps in order to meet specific 
requirements.

	NOT a piece of software.   (I.e., “Application” here does NOT mean 
“implementation”, “system”, “user interface”, or anything of that kind.)

(You can get all the slides from that presentation at:
http://www.coolheads.com/SRNPUBS/extreme2004/)

So, for any 'topic map of type X' you would need the TMA that defines 
the rules for that topic map.

> In the second line "interpreting" ist the term in question. Which new
> knowledge I get after the interpretation of my "representation of a topic
> map of type X"?

See next question/answer.

> In my opinion, a Topic Map is a set of subject proxies. What is new, if a
> topic map view "is an interpretation in which everything has become explicit
> as a set of subject proxies"?
> 

Yes, a topic map is a set of subject proxies but what the topic map view 
makes explicit is that you can fashion rules to 'view' a data source as 
a set of subject proxies.

Note the data source in question may unquestionably not be a topic map, 
such as a relational database. But it is possible to view such a data 
source, through the lens of a topic map, governed by a TMA, which 
results in a view that is the set of subject proxies we agree is a topic 
map.

> I guess, anything becomes clearer after your answer, but I think I need a
> good topic map example!
> 

The best example I can think of off hand would be Ann Wrightson's slides 
entitled: "Example to explore TMRM account in ISO JTC1/SC34 N527." Her 
slides actually address the conferred property issue but illustrate 
viewing two data sources using a topic map view. (I don't know if Ann 
has posted this online but can send you a copy offlist if you are 
interested.)

Hope you are having a great day!

Patrick


> best regards from Leipzig,
> Lutz Maicher
> 
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> _____
> Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Inf. Lutz Maicher
> Graduiertenkolleg Wissensrepräsentation | Universität Leipzig
> Abteilung Automatische Sprachverarbeitung | Institut für Informatik |
> Augustusplatz 10-11 | 04109 Leipzig
> 
> fon 0341 97 32 303 | mail maicher@informatik.uni-leipzig.de
> http://www.informatik.uni-leipzig.de/~maicher/
> 
> 


-- 
Patrick Durusau
Director of Research and Development
Society of Biblical Literature
Patrick.Durusau@sbl-site.org
Chair, V1 - Text Processing: Office and Publishing Systems Interface
Co-Editor, ISO 13250, Topic Maps -- Reference Model

Topic Maps: Human, not artificial, intelligence at work!