Re: [topicmaps-comment] TAO vs. ERA

[Lars Marius Garshol <larsga@garshol.priv.no>]

* Thomas B. Passin
| 
| After all, the term "role" has not been precisely defined in any
| topic map spec, has it?  

This is the closest you get, and it's actually not that bad:
  <URL: http://www.topicmaps.org/xtm/1.0/#desc-role >

| I'm not sure that it can or should be, for that matter.  

Oh, it must be. Topic maps are valuable precisely because the
different constrcts in the model have very precise semantics, which
tells software a lot about what it is you're saying with your topic
maps. 

| No doubt most people use their common-language understanding of the
| term.  It seems likely to me that such understanding may vary across
| cultures and languages, too.  So what is the precise meaning of
| "role" in topic maps?

That defined by the standard, which agrees with what Robert is saying.
 
--Lars M.