Re: [xtm-wg] Questions on topic maps

[Steve Pepper <pepper@ontopia.net>]

At 11:15 23.07.2001 +0200, H. Holger Rath wrote:
>> [1] <topic scope="biology"><name>dysfunction</name> ... </topic>
>> 
>> This is different from [2].
>> 
>> [2] <topic><name scope="biology">dysfunction</name> ... </topic>
>> 
>> Given some UI and accessing this topic map from outside the scope "biology",
>> topic2 would show up with no characteristics, whereas topic1 would be
>> invisible and inaccessible.  I feel it is important to allow this
>> distinction.
>
>I totally agree. And this is not only a UI issue. It is also an issue how
>the concepts work together on the semantic level.

Holger, I want to be clear about what it is you "totally agree" with.

I assume you are agreeing with the *requirement* Ivan has to be able
distinguish between a topic that "happens to have" no characteristics
in a certain scope, and a topic that "cannot have" characteristics in
a certain scope.

I hope you also agree with me that Ivan's [1] and [2] are identical
according to 13250 (at least if you ignore the "...").

>The typical answer to the question Ivan raised is "assign the same scope 
>to all the characteristics of a topic" but this *is not* the same as as 
>saying "this concept (reified by a topic) is only valid in a certain scope"
>and the latter cannot be expressed in TM world (or can it?).

As expressed by you, here, it is not possible in topic maps, no, because
TOPICS DON'T HAVE SCOPE. (Sorry about the shouting.)

However, I would argue that by not giving a topic "X" (that reifies a
concept "Y") any characteristics in the scope "Z", you are effectively
stating that the concept "Y" is not valid in that scope.

>I hope we will have some discussions concerning this issue in
>Montreal (SC34 WG3 meeting).

Hmm. I'm not sure it will be at the top of the agenda. We need to get
formal work on the data model started.

Steve

--
Steve Pepper, Chief Executive Officer <pepper@ontopia.net>
Convenor, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC34/WG3  Editor, XTM (XML Topic Maps)
Ontopia AS, Waldemar Thranes gt. 98, N-0175 Oslo, Norway.
http://www.ontopia.net/ phone: +47-23233080 GSM: +47-90827246


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