SNUOOPSLA Lab.

Chapter5: Topic Maps From Representation To IdentityConversation, Names, and Published Subject Indicators

Bernard Vatant

Edited by Jongnam Kim

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Table of Contents

What is the conversation about? A finger pointing at a planet

So what about published subject indicators?

PSIs are binding points for subject identity PSIs have to meet high quality requirements PSIs are good for pragmatic bottom-up tasks PSIs cannot pretend to universality nor strong symbolic

signification

Back to the conversation subject

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What is the conversation about? (1/4)

What is a subject? Topic maps paradigm are about

catching subjects in system representation

Two views of the world Naïve Constructivist

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What is the conversation about? (2/4)

Naïve view Representations are built out of

preexisting subjects Constructivist view

Sujects are emerging from a process involving representations

Wiki Web sites Constructivist approach

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What is the conversation about? (3/4) Sarah: Do you know the name of that bright star over there? Grandfather: Of course, Sarah, but it’s not a star, it’s a planet.

It’s Jupiter, the biggest planet in the solar system. You’ve heard of it, of course. Looking great, isn’t it?

Sarah: Oh…I didn’t think we could see Jupiter that bright! How come it looks like a star if it’s a planet? Shouldn’t it look round like Earth or the Moon?

Grandfather: It’s very big, and the Sun lights it-that’s why it shines, just as the Moon does. But it’s also just a bit too far away to see its form with your naked eyes. With a little telescope you would see it is round. Maybe I’ll show you one of these nights…but look carefully now. Does it really look like a star?

Sarah: There’s something…it doesn’t twinkle like the other stars. Grandfather: There you are. That’s a way you will know it’s a

planet…it does not twinkle…

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What is the conversation about? (4/4)

Jupitor classificationinstance

object

teacher

observer

Sarah trusting

authority

Grandfather

authority

subject

planet

class

reference

observation

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So what about published subject indicators? (1/2)

Published Subject Indicator(PSI) Resource that is intended by the topic

map author to provide a positive, unambiguous indication of the identity of a subject

Binding points for subject identity Clear & unambiguous not only for

human but also computers

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So what about published subject indicators? (2/2)

Requirements Stability Expertise Trust

PSIs are good for pragmatic bottom-up tasks

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Back to the conversation subject

How should an effective PSI be built?

Example Good PSI for topic maps:

http://www.topicmaps.org Good PSI for XTM: this book

Conversation and its subject are on the same side