Re: [Tm4j-developers] how are we different to DAML

[Jack P. <jac...@th...>]

At 10:28 AM 2/22/2002 +1100, Smith, Tim wrote:
>I have been talking to a DAML guy here at work, and he seems to be saying
>that DAML and TMs are pretty much the same.
>Obviously I am missing something...
>Can anyone tell me why TMs are superior to DAML?
>Thanks
>Tim Smith

Tim,

I'm sure Kal will have plenty to say about this, but my view is that they 
are not really the same thing at all.

True, they both define graph structures.
True, they both deal with the same kinds of objects, mostly ontological 
entities of one sort or another.

But, they serve different purposes.  Topic Maps were invented as a means of 
representating and navigating information resources, while DAML was 
invented to represent those resources, and do that to a much finer 
granularity than is easily accomplished with XTM.

True, you can define lots of relations and use PSIs to do so.  That is to 
say, one way or the other, you can make XTM serve the same purpose as 
DAML/OIL, and, while I haven't spent any time trying to do so, I imagine 
that you can find a way to use DAML as a navigational tool.

Nobody is superior to the other, IMHO.  Rather, each technology, XTM and 
DAML have contexts in which one is better suited: representation of 
a  information resource space with XTM, and representation of an ontology 
within that space with DAML.

Cheers
Jack