> -----Original Message-----
> From: topicmapmail-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:topicmapmail-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Bénédicte Le Grand
> Sent: 31 May 2005 12:39
> To: topicmapmail
> Subject: RE: [topicmapmail] Generating TMs out of relational Databases / How
> To?
>
> Hello,
>
> Thank you Murray for this reference to my work ;)
>
> I agree with Jack, there is a lot to do in the field of topic maps
> visualization.
>
> I had to focus on other subjects the last few years but I am still very
> interested in TM visualization and I would be glad to contribute in this
> area. I do not have much time for programming at the moment, but I would be
> glad to share my ideas.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Benedicte Le Grand
Benedicte,
You're quite welcome, and I'm glad to hear from you -- it's been
a few years, yes?
I would be interested in hearing your experience in trying to
answer a question I think is pertinent to this discussion:
Q: In the area of Topic Map visualization, when visualizing
Topics and Associations between Topics, are the techniques
used to visualize highly-detailed, relatively small Topic
Maps suitable for larger scale ones? If not, is this
discontinuity based on a continuum, or is there roughly
a threshold at which a different visualization paradigm
is then required?
For example, one visualization technique/paradigm might be
suitable for say, 20 Topics, another for 300 Topics, but
neither suitable for 3000 or 30,000. Does this *gradually*
become unsuitable, or is there a threshold (roughly) at
which point a specific style of visualization doesn't scale
any further?
Knowing such a threshold (even roughly) would help determine
for a given project which visualization approach is suitable.
Of course, there are many factors in making such decisions,
such as the required on-screen information, ability to zoom,
filter, or localize, etc. What I'm thinking is that it might
be valuable to begin cataloguing the different visualization
techniques (as you have done so well in the XML Topic Maps
book), but perhaps on a wiki or somewhere that would allow
new projects to be added by their authors. Because visuali-
zation is so crucial in large scale information management
projects, and where Topic Maps may provide important new
abilities, it'd be great to have somewhere where we could
keep track of existing projects and new developments.
Now, I don't mean to put any pressure on you -- I'm sure that
we both agree that there are no simple answers, but it would
be valuable to the community to begin to delineate the factors.
I note that easytopicmaps.org seems to have been destroyed by
spam, so there's not a particularly good, vendor-neutral place
to do this. I hope to have a wiki up by the end of summer, so
perhaps there... until such time, this list does provide
archives, so we'll at least have a record.
All the best,
Murray
......................................................................
Murray Altheim http://www.altheim.com/murray/
Strategic & Service Development
The Open University Library
Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK7 6AA, UK
Ils ont l'orteil de Bouc, & d'un Chevreil l'oreille,
La corne d'un Chamois, & la face vermeille
Comme un rouge Croissant: & dancent toute nuict
Dedans un carrefour, ou pres d'une eau qui bruict.
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