[sc34wg3] Subject Locators

[Murray Altheim]

Jan Algermissen wrote:
> On Jun 13, 2005, at 8:52 PM, Lars Marius Garshol wrote:
> 
> 
>>* Murray Altheim
>>|
>>| Exactly -- we are using the URI as the means of addressing, but the
>>| link is what carries the semantics. We are as I just wrote
>>| characterizing our links. What URIs mean or do or say or eat for
>>| breakfast has *nothing* to do with this.
>>
>>Yep.
> 
> 
> When you have a resource that has the intended semantics of some  
> person 'Jim Smith' and NOT some kind of document about him;
> 
> what is the meaning of
> 
> <topic id="t1">
>    <subjectIdentity>
>      <resourceRef xlink:href="http://example.org/persons/Jim_Smith"/>
>    </subjectIdentity>
> </topic>
> 
> then?
> 
> The topic represents Jim Smith - right?

If you're using <resourceRef> the Topic is *never* flesh and blood.
In the example you provide, it is the web page (resource) returned
by a traversal of the link provided. The subject is the resource,
hence "resourceRef". If you intend the Topic's subject to be something
about Jim, you'd use <subjectIndicatorRef>, which means that the
resource indicates the subject. This is all spelled out in some
detail within the XTM 1.0 Specification, so I'm not sure where the
confusion lies, unless you're spellbound by REST semantics and have
begun to confuse REST with Topic Maps. As I mentioned, whatever REST
is about it's nothing to do with Topic Maps. If Topic Maps are
eagles in a zoological taxonomy, REST is snails and slugs (which
are important in their own right). But it's better to fly with the
eagles than crawl with the slugs. [Sorry -- couldn't help myself.]

Murray

......................................................................
Murray Altheim                          http://www.altheim.com/murray/
Strategic and Services Development
The Open University Library
The Open University, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK7 6AA, UK               .

       The moment you come to trust chaos, you see God clearly.
       Chaos is divine order, versus human order. Change is
       divine order, versus human order. When the chaos becomes
       safety to you, then you know you're seeing God clearly.
                                               -- Caroline Myss