[sc34wg3] 3.13 Merging

[Patrick Durusau]

Lars,

Lars Marius Garshol wrote:
> * Patrick Durusau
> | 
> | ******3.13 Merging******
> | a process applied to topic maps in order to reduce the number of
> | redundant topic map constructs
> | *****/3.13**************
> | 
> | It that what we really want to say about merging? 
> 
> Well, it is what merging is. What would you prefer it to say?
> 

Suggest:

a process that combines information items that have the same subject


Noting that in the glossary, information item is defined as: "abstract 
representations of topic map constructs" so I don't think we are losing 
any precision in the statement.

Note that my suggestion captures the notion that the "information items" 
are being combined, which reducing redundancy does not capture. I could 
reduce redundancy by simply deleting other topic map constructs and not 
capturing any additional information from them.


Would have preferred "topics" instead of "information items" but that 
would not fit with the distinction (with which I disagree) between 
topics and associations. They both have subjects and are merged on the 
basis of criteria for whether they represent the same subject.

Hope you are having a great day!

Patrick



> | I don't think his reaction would have been quite the same had I said
> | the advantages of merging are the reduction of redundant topic map
> | constructs.
> 
> The advantages of merging and merging itself are two different things.
>  
> | I realize that ISO prose should not be a marketing piece [...]
> 
> Exactly. But if you have a proposal for alternative wording we'll
> consider it.
> 


-- 
Patrick Durusau
Director of Research and Development
Society of Biblical Literature
Patrick.Durusau@sbl-site.org
Chair, V1 - Text Processing: Office and Publishing Systems Interface
Co-Editor, ISO 13250, Topic Maps -- Reference Model

Topic Maps: Human, not artificial, intelligence at work!