Re: [xtm-wg] Promotion of Conceptual Model

["Steven R. Newcomb" <srn@coolheads.com>]

[Kal Ahmed:]
> Anyway, what is wrong with a separate Conceptual Model document ? It
> speaks to a different audience and serves a different purpose and we
> (unlike ISO) are not producing bound, saleable copy, so we don't
> have a commercial requirement to bundle everything together.

If the only issue were "a commercial requirement to bundle everything
together", I would not be so concerned about this.

If we don't clearly say what is the nature of the information that is
purportedly being interchanged via the DTD, I don't think we have done
our job, which is to specify how a certain kind of information set
shall be interchanged.  If the Spec contains only a DTD, and no
Conceptual Model, it will be very regrettable.  We will have
accomplished our short-term political objectives, but won't have
accomplished anything real.

I'm so very weary of information interchange standards that don't
serve the interests of the people who adopt them.  Just because
someone uses the XTM DTD to create an "XTM instance" does not mean
that the information contained in that instance is a topic map.  Far
from it.

The purpose of any specification like the XTM Specification, for the
interchange of a particular kind of information, must be to permit the
finger of blame to be pointed at the responsible party whenever
information interchange fails.  Otherwise, there is no vendor-neutral
interchange, there is no level playing field, and the richest vendor
will usually end up having tyrannical control over the marketplace.
This kind of anticompetitive outcome is an absolute disaster for the
public interest.

The stated purpose of Topicmaps.Org is to serve the public interest.
Let's actually serve the public interest.  (What a concept!)  Let's
include a very unambiguous statement as to the nature of the
information: the Conceptual Model.  I strongly feel that the
Conceptual Model must be an integral part of the Specification, or the
Spec will be toothless, and we will all have wasted our efforts on
this thing.

-Steve

--
Steven R. Newcomb, Consultant
srn@coolheads.com

voice: +1 972 359 8160
fax:   +1 972 359 0270

405 Flagler Court
Allen, Texas 75013-2821 USA

-------------------------- 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/_/974392066/
---------------------------------------------------------------------_->

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

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