XML Topic Maps: Creating and Using Topic Maps for the Web

XML Topic Maps: Creating and Using Topic Maps for the Web

by Sam Hunting, Jack Park
Released July 2002
Publisher(s): Addison-Wesley Professional
ISBN: 0201749602

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

The explosive growth of the World Wide Web is fueling the need for a new generation of technologies for managing information flow, data, and knowledge. This developer's overview and how-to book provides a complete introduction and application guide to the world of topic maps, a powerful new means of navigating the World Wide Web's vast sea of information.

With contributed chapters written by today's leading topic map experts, XML Topic Maps is designed to be a "living document" for managing information across the Web's interconnected resources. The book begins with a broad introduction and a tutorial on topic maps and XTM technology. The focus then shifts to strategies for creating and deploying the technology. Throughout, the latest theoretical perspectives are offered, alongside discussions of the challenges developers will face as the Web continues to evolve. Looking forward, the book's concluding chapters provide a road map to the future of topic map technology and the Semantic Web in general.

Specific subjects explored in detail include:

  • Topic mapping and the XTM specification

  • Using XML Topic Maps to build knowledge repositories

  • Knowledge Representation, ontological engineering, and topic maps

  • Transforming an XTM document into a Web page

  • Creating enterprise Web sites with topic maps and XSLT

  • Open source topic map software

  • XTM, RDF, and topic maps

  • Semantic networks and knowledge organization

  • Using topic maps in education

  • Topic maps, pedagogy, and future perspectives

Featuring the latest perspectives from today's leading topic map experts, XML Topic Maps provides the tools, techniques, and resources necessary to plot the changing course of information management across the World Wide Web.



0201749602B08282002

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. Foreword
  3. Preface
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Contributors
  6. Let There Be Light
    1. Opening Salvo
    2. Resources
    3. What's in Here?
  7. Introduction to the Topic Maps Paradigm
    1. Managing Complex Knowledge Networks
    2. Primary Constructs
    3. The Big Picture: Merging Information and Knowledge
    4. Design Principles for XTM
    5. From ISO/IEC 13250 to XTM
    6. Summary
    7. Acknowledgments
  8. A Perspective on the Quest for Global Knowledge Interchange
    1. Information Is Interesting Stuff
    2. Information and Structure Are Inseparable
    3. Formal Languages Are Easier to Compute Than Natural Languages
    4. Generic Markup Makes Natural Languages More Formal
    5. A Brief History of the Topic Maps Paradigm
    6. Data and Metadata: The Resource-Centric View
    7. Subjects and Data: The Subject-Centric View
    8. Understanding Sophisticated Markup Vocabularies
    9. The Topic Maps Attitude
    10. Summary
  9. The Rise and Rise of Topic Maps
    1. Milestones in Standards and Specifications
    2. Milestones in Software
    3. The Future of Topic Maps
  10. Topic Maps from Representation to Identity Conversation, Names, and Published Subject Indicators
    1. What Is the Conversation About?
    2. So What about Published Subject Indicators?
    3. Back to the Conversation Subject
  11. How to Start Topic Mapping Right Away with the XTM Specification
    1. XTM Topic Mapping
    2. Why Topic Maps?
    3. Appetizer
    4. Main Course
    5. Dessert
    6. Brandy, Cigars
    7. Summary
    8. Acknowledgments
    9. Resources
  12. Knowledge Representation, Ontological Engineering, and Topic Maps
    1. Knowledge as Interpretation
    2. Data, Knowledge, and Information
    3. Knowledge Issues: Acquisition, Representation, and Manipulation
    4. The Roots of Ontological Engineering: Knowledge Technologies
    5. New Knowledge Technology Branches: Toward Ontological Engineering
    6. Ontological Engineering
    7. Ontologies and Topic Maps
    8. Summary
    9. Acknowledgments
    10. References
    11. Selected Information and Research Sites
  13. Topic Maps in the Life Sciences
    1. A Literature Review
    2. The Need for Classification
    3. The Five Kingdoms
    4. Kingdom Animalia
    5. Creating Topic Maps for a Web Site
    6. Summary
    7. Resources for More Information on the Life Sciences
  14. Creating and Maintaining Enterprise Web Sites with Topic Maps and XSLT
    1. The XTM Framework for the Web
    2. XTM as Source Code for Web Sites
    3. HTML Visualization of Topic Map Constructs
    4. Topics
    5. XSLT Layers
    6. The XSLT Layout Layer
    7. The XSLT Back-End and Presentation Layers
    8. Summary
    9. Acknowledgments
    10. References
  15. Open Source Topic Map Software
    1. About Open Source Software
    2. Four Projects
    3. SemanText
    4. XTM Programming with TM4J
    5. Nexist Topic Map Testbed
    6. GooseWorks Toolkit
  16. Topic Map Visualization
    1. Requirements for Topic Map Visualization
    2. Visualization Techniques
    3. Summary
    4. References
  17. Topic Maps and RDF
    1. A Sample Application: The Family Tree
    2. RDF and Topic Maps
    3. Modeling RDF Using Topic Map Syntax
    4. Summary
    5. References
  18. Topic Maps and Semantic Networks
    1. Semantic Networks: The Basics
    2. Comparing Topic Maps, RDF, and Semantic Networks
    3. Building Semantic Networks from Topic Maps
    4. Harvesting the Knowledge Identified in Markup
    5. Identifying and Interpreting the Knowledge Found within Documents
    6. Summary
    7. References
  19. Topic Map Fundamentals for Knowledge Representation
    1. A Simple KR Example
    2. A Quick Review of Concepts for Topic Maps and KR
    3. Topic Map Templates
    4. Class Hierarchies
    5. Association Properties
    6. Inference Rules
    7. Consistency Constraints
    8. Summary
    9. References
  20. Topic Maps in Knowledge Organization
    1. Suggestions for Reading This Chapter
    2. What Is KO?
    3. KO as a Use Case for TMs
    4. Illustrative Examples
    5. A Look into the Future: Toward Innovative TM-Based Information Services
    6. Summary
    7. Acknowledgments
    8. Selected Abbreviations
    9. References
  21. Prediction: A Profound Paradigm Shift
    1. Language
    2. Transmitting the Word
    3. Lightness of Being
    4. A Brief History of Knowledge Representation and Education
    5. The Ephemeral Nature of Many New Ideas
    6. What the Research Suggests about Knowledge Representation and Learning
    7. A Paradigm Shift: Patterning Speech to Patterning Thought
    8. Summary
    9. Acknowledgments
    10. References
  22. Topic Maps, the Semantic Web, and Education
    1. What Is the Semantic Web?
    2. How Can Topic Maps Play an Important Role in the Semantic Web?
    3. What's Next?
    4. Closing Salvo
    5. References
  23. Glossary
  24. Tomatoes Topic Map
  25. Topic Map for Chapter 9
  26. XSLT Style Sheet for Chapter 9
  27. Genealogical Topic Map

Product information

  • Title: XML Topic Maps: Creating and Using Topic Maps for the Web
  • Author(s): Sam Hunting, Jack Park
  • Release date: July 2002
  • Publisher(s): Addison-Wesley Professional
  • ISBN: 0201749602