[TM4J-users] Re: new member

[Kal A. <ka...@te...>]

Hi Thomas,

Firstly, about the project. The eventual goal of the project is to develop=
=20
a complete set of tools for creating, updating, storing and publishing=20
topic maps in a variety of forms. The core of this project is the TM4J=20
engine and programming library. We also currently have storage mechanisms=20
based on the DOM, and on an open-source XML database, Ozone. These are=20
"back-ends" for TM4J (the default "back-end" is to store all of the topic=20
map in memory as a set of Java objects). TM4J also includes a number of=20
"front-end" applications - a few simple command-line applications, and a=20
"Navigator" application which uses TheBrain (www.thebrain.com) to display a=
=20
topic map. Unfortunately, the Java library required to develop applications=
=20
using TheBrain is no longer freely available, so that will have to be=20
replaced at some point soon.

In terms of the website. I would really like the website to be designed=20
with the concepts of topic maps in mind. I think it would be great to make=
=20
use of topic maps to generate the site - even if it is initially static=20
HTML pages, it would be good if the sources for those pages are linked=20
together not only with normal <href> links, but also are organised within a=
=20
topic map which could then be used to automatically insert extra navigation=
=20
links into the HTML. However, that is getting a little to advanced too=20
quickly. The first thing to do is to try and think about the contents of=20
the site in terms of the kinds of topics that will be presented and what=20
relationships they have.

I find that the best way to work this out as a group is to "brainstorm".=20
Just generate a list of topics, or types of topics, the information related=
=20
to those topics (occurrences) and types of relationships that might occur=20
on the site. Then we can narrow it down and try to build a topic map from=20
that. Then we can develop sources that reflect that topic map. That way we=
=20
will be in a good position to integrate the topic map at a later stage. For=
=20
that reason, I'm copying this to the TM4J users list to throw the debate=20
open wider. The more ideas we get, the better!

Here are my initial topics (I have put examples in brackets):

Project Participant (Thomas Bauer, Florian Haas)
Release (0.5.0, 0.6.0)
Project (TM4J)
Backend (memory, ozone, DOM)
Application (TMNav, command line apps)
Third Party Library (Xerces, JUnit, Ozone)

Some initial occurrences (with the topics which they would be occurrence of=
=20
in brackets)

Email (Project Participant)
Binary Distribution (Release)
Source Distribution (Release)
Installation Instructions (Project, Application, Backend)
Usage Instructions (Application)
Configuration Instructions (Project, Application, Backend)
Short Description (almost any topic)

Some associations (with the topics which would be associated in brackets)

Responsible For (Person, Project/Application/Backend)
Contributed To (Person, Project/Application/Backend)
Requires (Application, Third Party Library)

That is just a few initial ideas.

Of course, if you think visually, this probably doesn't help much. However,=
=20
take a look at www.itu.no. That site is almost entirely topic map based.=20
There are topics for people, reports, projects and so on and each topic has=
=20
its own page with links to the other topics that it is related to. Most of=
=20
the topic page is constructed from different occurrences of the topic. This=
=20
is the kind of navigation style which I think would be good to aim for, but=
=20
I'm open to any other suggestions you may have!

Cheers,

Kal

At 19:25 19/11/2001 +0100, BauerT wrote:
>Hallo,
>
>I=B4m the new one.
>
>My name is Thomas Bauer and I study the same as Florian Haas.
>I=B4m interested in Webdesign, XML and topicmaps.
>In webdesign I have much experience, but I=B4m a nobody in XML and=
 topicmaps.
>Nevertheless I=B4m very interested in XML, topicmaps and databases. I hope=
=20
>to learn a lot in XML and topicmaps in this project.
>It is fascinates me. - That=B4s why I have chosen this project.
>
>My function in this project is to develope a homepage for the TM4J project.
>At first I have to paint me a picture of the project structure. Then I can=
=20
>edit the content for the homepage.
>
>I need your help. - You can tell me - if you want - the things you wanna=20
>have on this homepage.
>You can also tell me some ideas of the design you want to have. Tell me if=
=20
>there are some homepages I should see to get ideas.
>
>
>
>For questions I=B4m gladly availlable,
>
>I=B4m lucky to be on board,
>
>Thomas Bauer
>
>
>ps: I hope to learn a lot in XML and topicmaps besides my webdesign-work
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-
>Thomas Bauer
>
>Student der Fachhochschule Informationsberufe
>
>=D6denburger Stra=DFe 25
>A - 7064 Oslip
>
>0699 / 109 46 321
>mailto: tho...@gm...