This paper aims to provide a short introduction to the new topic map standard, and to illustrate some potential applications of topic maps, particularly in the area of encyclopaedia publishing. It is based on the author’s participation in the development of the topic map standard (representing Norway in SC34, the ISO committee responsible for SGML and related standards), and two years’ collaboration with leading reference works publishers in Norway, Denmark, Poland and Germany.

The title owes its inspiration to a paper given by Rafal Ksiezyk of Polish Scientific Publishers at this conference in Paris last year (1998).