As of 12 December 2010, 2479 APIs and 5429 Mashups.
Care to guess what a search on topic maps returns?
If your guess was 1 you would be correct.
Surely there is at least one API or Mashup out of the 7,908 listed that is a candidate for topic map #2?
Writing this as much of a note-home-from-the-teacher for myself as it is to anyone else.
Topic maps are a fundamentally different approach to semantic integration.
Not the usual re-write/convert to a new shiny orthodox format approach. Quickly before it gets supplanted (or is found wanting).
Topic maps offer a number of interesting capabilities:
- no need for a universal and unique identifier
- “double-ended” nature of associations that binds players together (you don’t have to remember to write the relationship both ways)
- complete logical lock-step universe not required prior to authoring (or afterwards)
- supports multiple overlapping views of the same data
- …and other advantages.
But, my saying it to readers of this blog is preaching to the choir!
Surely some of us know relatives, former employers, parole officers who are not already sold on topic maps.
Please forward this post or tweet it to them.
Questions:
Search for APIs or mashups interest to you.
- Which APIs or mashups interest you as sources for topic map material? Why?(2-3 pages, no citations)
- Are there materials outside these you would want to point to or include in your topic map? (2-3 pages, citations/pointers)
- How would you test your topic map? No syntactic correctness but for inclusion of resources, terminology, etc.(3-5 pages, citations)