Library

I have searched the Web for information about and resources for fuzzy cognitive maps. My search has not been very successful (see my links page for more details). I do not have a clear idea of to what extent fuzzy cognitive maps are used for productive purposes in the industry and in research. I have seen a few web pages of research groups in which they claim that they use fuzzy cognitive maps in their research. In any case, they do not give much detail. My guess is that fuzzy cognitive maps are used little in research, and nothing in the industry. But I may not be well informed. If you have data or estimates about how much fuzzy cognitive maps are used please let me know.

In any case, I think there should exist a repository of fuzzy cognitive maps that everybody can use. I could not find such a fuzzy cognitive map library in the Web. Therefore, I would like to set up one here.

My idea is to put together a collection, or library, of fuzzy cognitive maps and post them here. Users would be able to access the library, to search and browse the fuzzy maps that are stored, to read information about them, and to download them free of charge. The fuzzy cognitive maps would be contributed by the users. The idea is that people take the fuzzy maps, work with them, modify them, improve them and then send improved versions back to the library, so that the next user can benefit from the work of previous users.

The fuzzy cognitive maps sent to the library will be copyrighted by their authors, but must be licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License or any other compatible license. This guarantees that the fuzzy maps can be freely distributed and enhanced by other users while the credit of the original author(s) is respected. If you are not sure whether your license is compatible, then feel free to ask me or to ask the GNU Project

The fuzzy maps should be in a format that is understandable by humans (e.g. plain text, XML, HTML, images) or in a format that can be read by freeware computer applications. This means, for example, that a Microsoft Word file is not suitable, because it is a proprietary format. If you have your fuzzy map in a Word document you can save a copy of the document as plain ASCII text or HTML and then submit that copy. This restriction to open standards is necessary to ensure that anybody, working with any operating system, can download and use the fuzzy cognitive maps.

If the number of fuzzy cognitive maps in the library grows to reach a significant number, then it might be interesting to transform them all into a single standard format, the same for all of them. The most inmediate advantage of using a single format is that it would be possible to take two or more fuzzy cognitive maps and merge them, maybe using a little auxiliary program, to produce a new, larger and hopefully better or more complete fuzzy cognitive map.

If you want to contribute your fuzzy map(s) to the library please send them to me along with a brief explanation of what they are for. It would be nice if you could also send me a critical comment, explaining how you have used the maps and if they do or do not work. It does not matter if your fuzzy cognitive map is very small or very simple or incomplete or if it was not useful for what you wanted it. I am interested in those "bad" fuzzy maps as well. Perhaps your map was not useful to you, but it may be useful to somebody else for other reasons, or it can be used as a starting point to draw another map, or there may be another user that is able to improve your map.

• Donnelly's investment rules - Paul de Ruyter (gyro@iinet.net.au) derived this map from the book DONNELLY'S INVESTING DIGEST by Austin Donnelly, 1997.
• Tax cuts - Map drawn by Paul de Ruyter
• Correction fears grip US market - Map drawn by Paul de Ruyter
• Money - This is a map derived from alternative currency/economic proponents. It shows that credit creation by public banks does not automatically provide the utopia that the writer's were wishing for. This map was drawn by Paul de Ruyter.