[sc34wg3] Removing added scope from <mergeMap>

[Geir Ove Grønmo]

On 1/16/06, Kal Ahmed <kal@techquila.com> wrote:
> But with added themes on import, it is possible to track down all asserti=
ons
> made by the imported topic map. The only things that cannot be tracked do=
wn
> are properties that are not scoped (in particular subject identity
> assignment).

I don't agree. You cannot track the assertions if the topic map that
is merged in causes topics in the mother topic map to be merged. In
theory you can end up with one single topic[1] after the merge is
done. The topic map may even cause the scoping topic to be merged with
some other topic making it impossible to track.

> However, I don't see this as an argument for removing added
> themes. If anything, it is an argument for *strengthening* the provisions
> for dealing with partially trusted sources, not for removing them entirel=
y.

Indeed, but added scopes on <mergeMap> does not solve the problem as
it stands today *at all*. What is needed is a way to *prevent* topics
from being merged if the source cannot be trusted, alternatively be
annotated in a way making it possible to de-merge.

--
Geir O.

[1] admittedly with a lot of characterstics.