[topicmaps-comment] Introduction

[Michel Biezunski <mb@infoloom.com>]

My name is Michel Biezunski.

I am still there, and still working on topic maps. Actually,
I am currently busy doing commercial topic maps for 
customers and this is quite time-consuming. (Can't tell
whom for now).

I have been involved in the Topic Maps business since the
beginning, and I must admit I am responsible for having
had the crazy idea of submitting the CApH spec to ISO
and masochist enough to have been present during the
whole standard process until it became an ISO standard.

As Steve Newcomb said (no need to repeat) I have also
been involved in the XTM spec since its inception, until
I left the group not really because I was not interested
but because it didn't seem I had other options at that
time. I am glad that the Topic maps community is now being
reorganized under groups that look promising and
complementary. I am still involved as co-editor of the ISO 13250 
standard and it looks that there is still a lot of activity being done.

I am happy to continue working on this since it looks more
and more real every day. We're far now from the
small group of enthusiasts we were at the beginning.
Enthusiasm is still there, but things are becoming more
professional now (good thing).

I am also involved more and more with Semantic Web
related initiatives, including Topic Maps. I believe that
Topic maps will play an important role in the next
generation of the Web.

I am in the process of moving to the United States to
continue working on these fields.This will happen within 
the next month.

Although I don't expect to be involved on a daily basis
on the OASIS Published Subjects initiative, I consider this is a 
great initiative, and I will also be glad to be used as a resource
(human, not only URI) if needed. Also, it's important
to set up liaisons betweeen this activity and the ongoing
standard design activity at ISO, so that we can synchronize
the efforts.

Michel
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Michel Biezunski, InfoLoom
Tel +33 1 44 59 84 29 Cell +33 6 03 99 25 29
Email: mb@infoloom.com  Web: www.infoloom.com
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