RE: [ RDF and TMs ] stupid questions

Hello M-L,

 

The following survey will give you a lot of more relevant references:

http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/BestPractices/RDFTM/survey

 

About your last question(s)

1) you wrote: I know we can define semantic relationships between topics/resources with TMs(or RDF).
But as a user, I cannot realize the significant differences between the websites
have been built with TMs(or RDF)  and those have not. 

The website that is TM based will likely be more flexible because it is easier to navigate in multiple directions and to navigate over relations with different labels. The visualisation aspect of the resources with TMs will also likely be more complete. See for instance the Vizigator at Ontopia or

http://crewman-3.ivs.tu-berlin.de/PhotoGraph/index.html.

 

I have been working in a project called I-MASS. In this project we worked with RDF and in the end of the project we had to visualise concepts in the information sources of libraries and museums. A lot of work and effort has been put in resolving problems that you have with RDF (for instance: identifying the concepts and blank nodes). In I-MASS we used the CIDOC-Conceptual Reference Model just like in the project NZETC and I am sure that if we had used Topic Maps in the project a lot of things would have been a lot easier. Not so strange either because a lot of ideas of Topic Maps are based from Library Science work.

 

Of course it is possible that as a navigating user you won't notice differences but the developer behind the scenes will notice them.

2) you wrote:
I cannot perceive their "power" of  knowledge representation or knowledge organization
because we can also represent semantic relationships without using TMs(or RDF).
( I did not mean to offend anyone.)

 

Yes you represent semantic relationships without TM or RDF BUT most of them are not standardised or are about identity. The power of knowledge representation is that is easier getting the right concepts you are talking about or that you are looking for. If you represented them correctly it also easier to find them. Problems with 2 concepts that have the same name are for instance resolved. With knowledge representation techniques you can make rules for identity and you make life easier when you need to integrate information and applications.

3) you wrote:
Could anyone tell me what's the advantage for a website(or digital library, portal...)
building with TMs(or RDF) ?  (especially the advantage which couldn't be accomplished
without TMs [or RDF] )

 

If you build you website in the traditional way you need to a lot of things yourself. With TM and RDF the structure will drive the presentation. Maintaining content is a lot easier with TMs. And with TM you can connect portals more dynamically then with traditional approaches. This is also one of the reasons why publishers are following the TM activities quite well.

 

There is a lot too say more to answer your questions but I hope this helps a bit.

 

Gabriel

 

G. Hopmans

Morpheus Software

http://mssm.nl

 

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: topicmapmail-admin-Zo64W7twoUFWk0Htik3J/w@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:topicmapmail-admin-Zo64W7twoUFWk0Htik3J/w@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Namens M-L Chung
Verzonden: donderdag 5 mei 2005 23:07
Aan: topicmapmail-Zo64W7twoUFWk0Htik3J/w@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Onderwerp: [topicmapmail] [ RDF and TMs ] stupid questions

Hello everyone:

I didn't success in posting the message to <www-rdf-interest-Pl0VvzL1eo4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

I have send a mail to ask why, but I haven't got any responses yet.

 

I hope you wouldn't mind that I post the same message to this list.

Comments are welcome. Thank you,

 

The message is below.

------

Hello everyone:

I know maybe I'm asking stupid questions, but I really need your help.

I was trying to find some websites help me recognize the ability of RDF and TMs
on seamless knowledge [1] , Semantic Web, knowledge representation,
knowledge organization or information retrieval.

I noticed that there are some websites based on Topic Maps organizing
the resources, such as "Omnigator" [2] and "NZETC" [3] .
Are there any websites based on RDF organizing the resources too?
Any digital libraries or portals?

Another question. Are there any "web search engines" making for
searching Topic Map documents? (In addition to KartOO [4])
Such as "Swoogle" [5] search RDF documents.

Any websites you're impressed on implementing this two technologies are appreciated.

The last question is:
I know we can define semantic relationships between topics/resources with TMs(or RDF).
But as a user, I cannot realize the significant differences between the websites
have been built with TMs(or RDF)  and those have not.
I cannot perceive their "power" of  knowledge representation or knowledge organization
because we can also represent semantic relationships without using TMs(or RDF).
( I did not mean to offend anyone.)
Could anyone tell me what's the advantage for a website(or digital library, portal...)
building with TMs(or RDF) ?  (especially the advantage which couldn't be accomplished
without TMs [or RDF] )

Thanks in advance and best regards,

M-L.

[1] Pepper, S.(2004). Towards Seamless Knowledge. Retrieved from:
     http://www.ontopia.net/topicmaps/materials/Towards%20Seamless%20Knowledge.ppt
[2] http://www.ontopia.net/omnigator/models/index.jsp
[3] http://www.nzetc.org/

[4] http://www.kartoo.com/
[5] http://pear.cs.umbc.edu/swoogle/index.php