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Article:
  Quick and Dirty Topic Mapping
Subject:   Radio and XTM
Date:   2002-12-16 07:47:06
From:   dfeasey
As someone who's been playing around with topic maps, particularly XTM, for a couple of years I got a couple of new lightbulbs from this article. One is the bottom up approach. I've been thinking this was the way to go for personal topic maps. I think it would be especially useful, moving out of the URL-only domain, to be able to map my emails semi-automatically. The top-down way is definitely time-consuming and requires specialized skills.


I also realized while reading this that one of the issues in XTM, that of linking to public repositories of topic definitions, or public subject indicators (PSIs) is a perfect web services app. Thanks for the Radio plug- I keep thinking there's some reason I need it.


One thing that's missing from this article is the thing that really makes XTM topic maps powerful: the ability to define complex and robust relationships between topics. No need to decide whether XML is a subtopic of Web Development- it can be both! In fact with XTM, you can define exactly the relationships between them. The relationship becomes a topic in its own right so you can list topics related to the current one in multiple dimensions and axes.


See Topic Maps for e-Learning for some other ideas on the topic.


Excellent, useful intro.