[sc34wg3] N358 and N372 Requires synchronization: changes in workplan, names, etc.

[Mary Nishikawa]

Dear National Body Delegates, ISUG and OASIS Liaison Members,

When I received notice of the documents Proposal for a New Work item N358 
and Recommendations of WG3 in Baltimore N372 from Sara just before 
Christmas, I could not decipher what exactly it was that we all agreed to. 
Then I went to our local meeting and discussed this with Naito-san and 
heard about all kinds of changes that were made.

I guess it serves me right for leaving early before this was settled :)

On Saturday we had all agreed to a multi part standard. Then this decision 
was discussed in private and another proposal was submitted, it seems. I am 
requesting clarification on what was discussed and finally decided on about 
the "Proposal for a New Work Item." The structure of the Topic Map Standard 
as described in N372 does not seem to agree with the proposal in N0358. The 
national bodies need to vote on this by March 20, 2003. There is 
conflicting information and we need clarification to consider this properly.

In N358 we have

1. A guide to the relationships between the topic maps standards
2. The Standard Application Model (Data Model)
3. The Reference Model (Information Aggregation Model), etc.
4. XTM Syntax
5. HyTM Syntax
6. Canonication of Topics Maps

For the program of work there will be 3 international standards and an 
amendment or amendments to ISO 13250.

Which ones are the standards and which ones are the amendments?

In N372

1. ISO 13250  plus basic concepts (1 above?) and Annexes for XTM and HyTM 
(4 and 5 above)? These annexes are the amendments mentioned above?

2. ISO XXXXX Topic Maps Data Model (SAM)  So this  name will be changed?
(Annexes for deserialization and mapping of SAM to RM .... new information 
that is not included above? Why is this in the SAM?)

3. ISO XXXXX Topic Maps Information Aggregation Model (RM)

I guess this one has not been decided on yet with the discussions on this 
list. I hope that whatever is settled is placed into N359 later.

4. ISO XXXX Topic Maps Conformance

(This looks like 4 standards to me now, is this correct?)

Why all of these name changes all of a sudden?

It is very difficult to comment on N0358 as it stands or perhaps this will 
be corrected and resubmitted? At local Japan meetings, we have spent much 
time discussing what name has become what. Where is the conceptual model, 
or TMPM4 or this or that data model, etc. We need to translate all of these 
changes and explain why these name changes have been made. There not only 
affects ISO but also JIS and IPSJ who are made up of many representatives 
of Japanese electronics companies and governmental bodies. Naito-san and I 
will be speaking on Topic Maps at the IPSJ National Convention in March, 
and we need to give a report on the progress  of the topic map standards. 
Especially, we should hope for stable names at least.

Now on this list this week, Steve Newcomb is asking for ideas to replace 
the name of the RM and he has outlined a new work plan. Will this all 
supersede related information that is now in 358? I request that this be 
settled as soon as possible and really decide on the name and not keep on 
changing it. Once the names and Program of work has really been discussed 
an decided on, then have all of this in the Proposal for the New Work Item.
Maybe it is already in the plan to update and resubmit 358, but from the 
formality of the submission and the ballot, it did not seem this way to us.

  It was very encouraged as I left Baltimore knowing so many SAM issues had 
been resolved, and it was one of the reasons why I came to Baltimore in the 
first place. I think we should all applaud the hard work and resolve the 
ambiguities in the New Work Item so that we can go forward as soon as possible.

Respectfully,
Mary

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Mary Y. Nishikawa, EDMS Technical Advisor
Schlumberger K. K.
2-2-1 Fuchinobe
Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229-0006
Tel: +81-42-759-5376
Fax: +81-42-759-3563

Eureka IT Community Web Technologies SIG Co-leader &
XML BB Manager, xmlbb@slb.com
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC34 WG3 Japan
OASIS TM Pubsubj TC, GeoLang TC, XMLVoc TC
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