![](bg8.png)
cess to information for team members was improved.
They had all information they needed to know in one
place. The start page used familiar terms and provided
a gateway to all relevant information.
5 OUTLOOK
A query language can help Topincs in many ways, but
in particular helps to get more common sense into the
application, so that data entry becomes even easier.
For example it would be possible in the issue web
database described earlier to restrict the selection of
issues for a product version during release planning
to unresolved issues. The validation of a work session
in the same store could help the user recognize that he
entered a end time that lies before the start time. The
standardization of a query language for Topic Maps is
in process.
6 CONCLUSIONS
Topincs is a tool that offers quick help in many situa-
tions where there is need to store and share informa-
tion so that it is accessible for humans and comput-
ers alike. It combines the simplicity of a wiki with
the power of an application. Its generic approach to
viewing and recording information relieves the user
of having to learn new user interfaces for different ap-
plications and subsequently lowers training costs in
organizations. Development costs for solutions are
significantly reduced since error prone and slow pro-
gramming tasks are avoided. There is no need for ex-
pensive manual user interface tests since the generic
source code runs in many web databases and is con-
stantly in use.
The absence of hierarchies and the presence of
the domain vocabulary of the user make it easy to
find things. It acts as memory extender as envisioned
by Vannevar Bush (Bush, 1945). Such power and
agility does not come at no cost. Developers with
their current educational background need additional
training in the semantic technology Topic Maps and
must overcome many hard learned but ultimately in-
appropriate paradigms that do not match the dynamic
world that the 21st century is bringing upon us.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I want to thank Salvatore Vassallo, Markus Ueberall,
Patrick Durusau, and Kambiz Darabi for their value-
able feedback to draft versions of this paper.
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