One of the difficulties that topic maps solve is the question of second class citizens (or subjects) in information systems.
The difficulty is one that Marijane raises when she quotes Michael Sperberg-McQueen wondering how topic maps differ from SQL databases, Prolog or colloquial XML?
One doesn’t have to read far to find that SQL databases, colloquial XML (and other information technologies) talk about real world subjects.*
The real world view leaves the subjects that comprise information systems out of the picture.
That creates an underclass of subjects that appear in information systems, but can never be identified or be declared to have more than one identification.
Mapping strategies, like topic maps enable users to identify any subject. Any subject can have multiple identifiers. Users can declare what properties must be present to identify a subject. Including the subjects that make up information systems.
*Note my omission of Prolog. Some programming languages may be more map friendly than others but I am unaware of any that cannot attribute properties to parts of a data structure (or its contents) for the purposes of mapping and declaring a mapping.
I wasn’t quite sure I understood what you meant when you said “second-class citizens” before this post. Now it’s clear.
It’s still pretty abstract, though. What might be a good concrete example of what this property of Topic Maps allows? Something that would instantly illustrate the capabilities of Topic Maps to people who are just getting acquainted with it.
Comment by Marijane White — April 29, 2010 @ 11:38 pm
Marijane,
I am working on a non-standard explanation of topic maps but don’t have the illustrations (graphics), yet.
I will try to post the first couple of chapters next week with my suggestions on the graphics that should accompany the text. Readers will have to use their imaginations and realize my suggested graphics may change before the text settles down.
Don’t mean to be a tease but I am rather fond of the way I think this can be shown with graphics. 😉 So, tune in next week my attempt to provide a better answer!
Comment by Patrick Durusau — April 30, 2010 @ 7:29 am