Re: [xtm-wg] Reification - why it came back in the CM

["Nikita Ogievetsky" <nogievet@cogx.com>]

Steve,

Do you mean using Bernard's summary in extenso in the prose spec?
I would second it.
I think it is a good idea and a perfect netiquette :-))

Nikita.


-------------------------------------------------------
Nikita Ogievetsky,  Cogitech Inc.
Consultant in XML/XSLT/ink/TopicMaps
nogievet@cogx.com  Phone: (917)406-8734
http://www.cogx.com Cogito Ergo XML

----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Pepper <pepper@ontopia.net>
To: <xtm-wg@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 28, 2001 10:08 AM
Subject: Re: [xtm-wg] Reification - why it came back in the CM


> I just want to second Bernard's excellent summary of our view
> on reification. I'm really glad you were there in Paris, Bernard!
> (Let that be a lesson to me!)
>
> And I'm going to quote his posting in extenso, even though that's
> not really good netiquette, just so everyone can have a chance to
> read it once more :-)
>
> Reification is *not* difficult.
>
> Steve
>
>
> At 22:16 26/01/01 +0100, Bernard Vatant wrote:
> >I'll try to explain for those who were not in the CM discussion in Paris
> >why and how "reification" was brought back.
> >
> >The very meaning given for that word * in XTM scope* is very simple :
it's
> >the process through which a Topic is created.
> >Before reification, there is "something", addressable or not, resource or
> >not, inside or outside the system, inside or outside the Topic Map
itself,
> >candidate to be a good subject - like *any* thing whatsoever.
> >After reification, you have a brand new Topic in the system, of which the
> >above "something" is the subject.
> >No more. That's dreadly simple. If somebody claims it can't be that
simple,
> >that it's a very more subtle concept I widely misunderstood, please
explain
> >to me where I missed the point.
> >
> >This very action of creating a Topic is a fundamental process, whether
it's
> >made by an human author, creating the Topic "from scratch", or a system
> >process, for instance creating a Topic out of any association in the TM,
or
> >any data in a data base etc.
> >Given this process is a basic concept, it has to be pointed to and given
a
> >name, if only to show that Topics don't exist to begin with - as such -
in
> >the middle of nowhere, but only subjects are there, which have to be
"made
> >real", that is processed into definite computable objects of a definite
> >type.
> >
> >Well, why the choice of "reification" ? Because it's the very meaning of
> >the word : make something "real" for the system, in the sense it can
handle
> >it, compute it, merge it etc ... What other word would fit :
"topicization"
> >? Gads ! Other ideas ?
> >
> >Another debate :
> >RDF uses it. OK. with another meaning. OK. That point was considered too.
> >What was said is that reification defined in XTM scope and reification
> >defined in RDF scope could be considered later as subtypes of a more
> >general class of process, which, IMO, could be defined by something like
> >the following :
> >
> >"Reification is a process through which a computable/addressable object -
a
> >resource - is created in a system, as a proxy for a non
> >computable/addressable object"
> >
> >This definition is a "relative" one, meaning by that the definition of
> >addressable/computable depends on the system and the nature of the
objects
> >it is able to handle. But my hunch is it fits both RDF and XTM particular
> >"reification(s)". Maybe some RDF guy around there coud tell if that makes
> >sense or not.
> >
> >Well ... that was my 0.02 Euros for the "Grand Semantic Unification" <:o)
> >
> >Bernard
>
>
> --
> Steve Pepper, Chief Technology Officer <pepper@ontopia.net>
> Convenor, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC34/WG3  Editor, XTM (XML Topic Maps)
> Ontopia AS, Maridalsveien 99B, N-0461 Oslo, Norway.
> http://www.ontopia.net/  phone: +47-22805465  GSM: +47-90827246
>


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