Self introduction of Michel Biezunski and Steven R. Newcomb

My name is Michel Biezunski. I am interested to join
the RDF activity because I have been involved in the
creation of the Topic maps standards since the
beginning. I started to work on this issue together
with Steve Newcomb in the Davenport Group, then in
the CApH group. I proposed to ISO to make Topic Maps
a standard, and was at the origin of the creation of
the XTM activity to create an XML version of Topic
maps. I work in a company called InfoLoom which is
developing solutions for improving navigation within
information resources.

I am willing to work on the merging of the standards,
or on a new standard that would take advantage of
both. Therefore, I would like to attend the next
RDF-Interest group in Boston.

==========================================
Michel Biezunski, InfoLoom
Tel +33 1 44 59 84 29 Cell +33 6 03 99 25 29
Email: mb@infoloom.com  Web: www.infoloom.com
==========================================

********************************************************

My name is Steven R. Newcomb.  Like Michel Biezunski, I
was at the beginning of the topic map story.  My
primary interests are information management and global
knowledge interchange, and I've been working in these
and related fields for 23 years.  I'm one of four
editors of the ISO HyTime standard.  Like Michel, I've
had some experience with developing standards, and with
developing the consensus needed to develop standards.

Also like Michel, I am interested in being involved in
any significant work that is responsive to the lessons
of RDF, Topic Maps, etc.  Therefore, I would like to
attend the next RDF-Interest group in Boston.

Michel and I have worked together for a long time.
Along with Martin Bryan, we were co-editors of the ISO
Topic Maps standard.  More recently we were the
founding chairs/editors of the XML Topic Maps (XTM)
standardization effort (TopicMaps.Org).  Most recently
of all, we both stepped down from that position in
favor of new leadership (Steve Pepper and Graham Moore,
with Eric Freese as their appointed acting chair).
Although we are still active participants in the XTM
initiative, the fact that we are no longer
chairs/editors of XTM has released our time, and our
preferred way to allocate that time is to the RDF
effort.  Let me also explain that Michel and I are not
joined at the hip, nor do we think in the same way.
Far from it.  We have chosen to seek funding for our
involvement in this effort jointly, because over the
last eight years we have found that when we work
together, our combined ability to generate benefit is
greater than the sum of our abilities when we work
separately.  We are content that our work on the topic
maps paradigm, while certainly not done, speaks for
itself.  But more to the point, we have learned some
things along the way that, when the future of RDF is
charted, may be helpful.

-Steve

--
Steven R. Newcomb, Consultant
srn@coolheads.com

voice: +1 972 359 8160
fax:   +1 972 359 0270

405 Flagler Court
Allen, Texas 75013-2821 USA

Received on Wednesday, 7 February 2001 04:26:24 UTC