Re: [xtm-wg] Dynamic Generation and Serving of Topic Maps

[Murray Altheim <murray.altheim@eng.sun.com>]

Lars Marius Garshol wrote:
> 
> * Lars Marius Garshol
> |
> | Furthermore, to TMQL, the actual form in which the topic map happens
> | to be stored should not matter at all.

This is only true if you're not interested in an interchange syntax.
That's what we're doing here. The ISO spec already *describes* topic
maps. The conceptual modelling group is fleshing out the model that
is implicit in the ISO spec. We're harmony-checking.

> * Murray Altheim
> |
> | I've changed my opinion on this. I do think XPath and XPointer can
> | serve to bring to the topic map engine the portions necessary to
> | implement TMQL. In other words, TMQL can be built as a layer on top
> | of an XPath/ XPointer engine.
> 
> I don't think the question is whether it _can_ be, but whether it is
> the right/best way to do it.  Topic maps and XML documents have two
> very different data models, just as different as XML documents and
> relational databases.

We seem to be talking past each other.
 
> Obviously, SQL is not a good fit for XML documents, just as XPath is a
> very bad fit for relational databases. I don't think XPath is a very
> good fit for topic maps either.

SQL is not a good fit for XML documents because it was designed for 
live, in-memory database applications. XPath isn't a good fit for 
topic maps once they're in the "graph", as Steve says. But going from
XML document to in-memory representation is what XPath is about. The
results of XPath queries are aggregated to create TMQL queries.
 
> | If this is not true, we're in trouble.
> 
> Why should we be? XPath doesn't work very well for relational data
> either. Does that also mean that we're in trouble?

If one can't use XLink/XPointer/XPath to obtain the necessary data
from an XTM document (as an XML document) then we're in trouble. Ie.,
if one can't use common XML tools as a basis upon which to build 
topic map tools, then the market will favour technologies that can,
like RDF.

Murray

...........................................................................
Murray Altheim, SGML/XML Grease Monkey     <mailto:altheim&#64;eng.sun.com>
XML Technology Center
Sun Microsystems, 1601 Willow Rd., MS UMPK17-102, Menlo Park, CA 94025

      In the evening
      The rice leaves in the garden
      Rustle in the autumn wind
      That blows through my reed hut.  -- Minamoto no Tsunenobu

-------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~>
Create your business web site your way now at Bigstep.com.
It's the fast, easy way to get online, to promote your business,
and to sell your products and services. Try Bigstep.com now.
http://click.egroups.com/1/9183/1/_/337252/_/973624267/
---------------------------------------------------------------------_->

To Post a message, send it to:   xtm-wg@eGroups.com

To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: xtm-wg-unsubscribe@eGroups.com