[xtm-wg] XTM 1.0 Spec - some comments

["Chris Angus" <chris.angus@btinternet.com>]

Please accept these comments and suggestions as a positive input to the
process.

(1) 1.3 Terminology/general

I have a general complaint about alphabetically arranged glossaries
appearing at this point in a document as they cannot be read and understood
if read simply as linear text.  Even a reading of the opening paragraphs of
'Basic Concepts' (which is, I think, an excellent piece of writing) makes it
much easier to understand the terminology.

(2) 1.3 Terminology/addressable subject

I believe I know what the distinction between an 'addressable subject' and a
'subject indicator' is but I had to struggle hard to ascertain it from the
definition given here.  Might I suggest something along the lines "An
addressable information resource that is of itself a subject.  This is in
distinction to a subject indicator where the contents of the resource
describe what is meant by the subject.".  I think that the "For example"
confuses rather than enlightens.  Perhaps "This document, as a whole, is an
example of an addressable subject - 'The XML Topic Maps (XTM) 1.0
Specification'.  We could abstract those parts of this document that say
what we mean by the topic 'The XML Topic Maps (XTM) 1.0 Specification' into
an addressable resource and use that as a subject indicator."

(3) 1.3 Terminology/association

Para 1 states "Members are composed of topics".  This is strictly correct
but seems to beg more questions that it answers.  Might I suggest something
along the lines of "Each member is composed of all those topics associated
with a specific role in the association".

(4) 1.3 Terminology/characteristic

The term 'characteristic' is used in several places but is never made
coreferent with the defined term 'topic characteristic'.

(5a) 1.3 Terminology/base name

I am not sure what principle has been used for ordering the various usages
of a term.  I do feel, however, that the first one should be the one that
gives the best flavour of what is meant by the term as opposed to an
arbitrary instance of it.  In the case of 'base name' I feel that 3. is more
meaningful than 1.

(5b) 1.3 Terminology/base name

There is nothing in the definition that gives any real feel for what is mean
by the adjective 'base' in this context.

(6) 1.3 Terminology/subject

I do not believe that "The organizing principle of a topic" is an adequate
definition, partly because it is not at all clear what, if anything, it
means.  I suspect that it might mean something like "The basis on which a
topic map is organized", but it doesn't really tell me what a 'subject' is.
If I look at the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) the usages that seem to me
to equate to the sense in which the term is used in the context of topic
maps are (a) "13. a. In a specialized sense: That which forms or is chosen
as the matter of thought, consideration, or inquiry; a topic, theme." and to
a lesser extent (b) "8. Gram. The member or part of a sentence denoting that
concerning which something is predicated (i.e. of which a statement is made,
a question asked, or a desire expressed); a word or group of words setting
forth that which is spoken about and constituting the ‘nominative’ to a
finite verb."

(7) 1.3 Terminology/subject identity point

The definition makes reference to 'topic map space' a concept that does not
seem to be defined or properly described.

(8) 1.3 Terminology/topic map

I think that it would be useful to include a description of what a topic map
is or does.

(9) 1.3 Terminology/topic occurrence

Should it be 'Information resource' rather than just 'Information'?
Chris Angus
KALIDO Product Architect
Tel: +44 16 9774 1504 / +44 20 7934 4960
chris.angus@btinternet.com / chris.angus@kalido.com
www.kalido.com


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