tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249867.post5975282241410371063..comments2023-06-18T23:28:28.840+10:00Comments on ShelterIt - My digital think-tank: Topic Maps, 10 years down the lineAlexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10613480150660825848noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249867.post-67557284769317141932010-02-19T12:55:29.945+11:002010-02-19T12:55:29.945+11:00Q: What are Topic Maps? A: 'The funny thing is...Q: What are Topic Maps? A: 'The funny thing is that there is no correct answer to that question.'<br /><br />Here's a better question: What problem do Topic Maps solve? And don't just say 'Anything, provided it is a Topic.' Real-world, concrete examples are necessary. Technologies are accepted based on simple sales pitches, not on theory. <br /><br />If anything, lurking on the TM mailing list has taught me, it's that TM will never be truly accepted because its proponents are too wrapped in the theory to take time to come up with a simple use case that shows their value. For instance, people invested in Edison not because of his technical or engineering brilliance, but because he proposed a longer-lasting incandescent light bulb to solve the problem of darkness. And he sold the world on the idea. <br /><br />But maybe it's easier to just sit back and complain about how 'commoners' just don't get Topic Maps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249867.post-27300004771208046422010-02-06T03:04:25.927+11:002010-02-06T03:04:25.927+11:00Hi, Jan! [waves]Hi, Jan! [waves]shuntinghttp://www.universalpantograph.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249867.post-85882232370825193312010-02-05T02:24:08.077+11:002010-02-05T02:24:08.077+11:00Heh, heh, heh. Topic Maps - I loved them 2000 to 2...Heh, heh, heh. Topic Maps - I loved them 2000 to 2005 but they did not get their theory straight and XTM is not Web compatible (you just cannot address a representation with HTTP). Had great fun though.Jan Algermissenhttp://www.nordsc.com/blog/noreply@blogger.com