[xtm-wg] Re: [topicmapmail] [topicmapmail]Templates!!

["H. Holger Rath" <hhr@step.de>]

Hi,

Michel Biezunski wrote:
> 
> [Shabnam Atashgar [satashga@zgdv.de] wrote:
> 
> > What is the difference between "association" and "association template"
> > or "topicmap" and "topicmap template"!??!!
> 
> ... snip ...
> 
> A topic map template is an actual topic map, which can be used to be further
> specialized. For example, you might want to use an existing topic map 
> containing all cities of the world, related
> to countries, etc., because you don't want to reinvent the wheel. Then, you
> can use this topic map
> to say what you want to express specifically about each of these cities or
> countries. If you choose
> to do so, then you are merging a topic map template with your own topic map.

There is - unfortunately - no official definition what a TM Template is.

The term was invented in spring 1999 in Granada (Spain) by ISO SC34
(I remember that Michel, SteveN, SteveP, Martin, and I participated
in the discussion, maybe more) to have a name for the "declarative 
part" of a TM. SteveP and I stressed at that point in time the problem 
that there is no standardized way to express which topics should be 
used as types/roles for other topics, assocs, occurrences. It was too 
late to put it in ISO 13250 but the committee looked for a term to
be able to address the issue.

We had TM Schema, TM Profile, TM Template, and probably some other
suggestions on the table and finally decided to use "TM Template".

The reasons were: schema was used by the XML community and might be
misunderstood, profile is often related to application profiles which
would go in the wrong direction, template - a least in publishing - 
is the starting point for a page layout and a TM template is the 
starting point for a TM to be filled with "real" topics, assocs, 
occurrences, etc.

The template is the part of a TM the TM designer (e.g. chief edtior)
is working on. The "real" TM is the part where the TM authors
(e.g. editors) are working on.

I see that we need a precise definition of the different parts
of a TM I say that because there is also the part containing
type hierarchies, constraints (not only for assocs but also 
for topics etc), assoc properties, and inference rules.

And there are TMs which contain already "real" topics - as described
by Michel (see below).

I know that TopicMaps.Org put some items on its to-do list
which deal with some - or all - of these issues. I hope that
they define how to name the different parts with the goal
to make communication easier and to prohibit misinterpretation
in the future.

> In some ways, it can be considered similar to a background layout for your
> own page.

TM Template was btw Michel's proposal and you see his arguments repeated
here.
 
> Michel
> ==========================================
> Michel Biezunski, InfoLoom
> Tel +33 1 44 59 84 29 Cell +33 6 03 99 25 29
> Email: mb@infoloom.com  Web: www.infoloom.com
> ==========================================

Cheers,
--Holger

-- 
H. Holger Rath <holger.rath@empolis.com>
empolis content management GmbH
Havelstr. 9, 64295 Darmstadt, Germany
http://www.empolis.com/ -- mobile: +49.172.66.90.427
phone: +49.6151.380.292 -- fax: +49.6151.380.488

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