Topic maps are used to model meta data. They support making statements about a resource (as identified by a URL) and to model relationships between resources.
They also allow you to make statements about the statements and about the relationships.
To my eye the xml format for topic maps is a lot easier to understand and write than RDF statements. There is the start of querying and browsing tools for that XML format that make choosing topic maps over home-grown formats attractive.
The
tao of topic maps is a good intro, the
topic maps article at xml.com is not quite as good but shorter and has XML samples in it.
Someone has made a topic map representing the diary of Samuel Pepys
(view of the Samuel Pepys topic). Ontopia has a
topic map browser with a demo map of opera (as in singing not browsing) related information.
I found documentation of a
topic map query language but no tool to test it out with unless I want to write java classes.
Dated: 12/15/2004