Re: [xtm-wg] Promotion of Conceptual Model

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

"Steven R. Newcomb" wrote:
> 
> I personally would prefer that the Conceptual Model be part and parcel
> of the main part of the Spec, along with the DTD.  I just don't want
> to call it an "Annex".  I'd rather treat it as a "clause" (to put it
> in ISO terms, and since we're evidently already using the ISO jargon
> term, "Annex").
> 
> The draft Dallas minutes advise that we make the conceptual model an
> Annex.  The thinking behind this decision was that we needed to be
> able to publish the Spec regardless of whether the Conceptual Model
> became available for publication.  I think we should reconsider this
> policy, and, instead, move the Conceptual Model forward, not treating
> it as an Annex, thus avoiding any possibility that implementers might
> miss the Conceptual Model simply because it only appears in an Annex.
> More to the point, the Conceptual Model is of the very essence of what
> we're talking about in this Spec; it's no less essential to software
> developers than the DTD is.  The Conceptual Model offers a vital
> perspective on the nature of the information that the DTD is designed
> to convey in interchangeable form.
> 
> In any event, we already have the annotated UML diagrams, and, if need
> be, the diagrams are self-sufficient.

If you look in the current online version of the specification, you'll
note that there are essentially two parts (not including TOC, annexes,
etc.): the first sections (Basic Concepts and Advanced Concepts) are 
for explication of the Topic Map concepts, the second section is the
details of the XML syntax. 

We already have in place an area to discuss in detail the ideas behind
what a topic map is, even an area for Processing Model. The only part
that should (IMO) be in the annex is the UML diagrams, since they're not
really for Mere Mortals(tm) anyway. If we rely on UML diagrams in the
main part of the spec we inherently need to describe the meaning of the
UML syntax used.

In short, I think we already have what we need in terms of structure. We
just need to flesh it out.

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

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