[piw] Schema again

Richard Morris webmaster at pfaf.org
Sun Apr 17 11:10:42 EDT 2005


Hi All,
	Afew thoughts on schema, specifically how we divide up
the information about plants. Sort of inspired by ideas on Folksonomies,
and a piece I read discussing informal/foraml specs.

Basically we can divide info into two main groups

- those for which there is a well established formal/informal spec
	e.g. botanical names

- those for which there is no good spec
	most of what we have

How we organise data depends on which group things lie in.

Formal entries: in just makes sense to use a scheme close to formal 
spec, or easily convertable to formal spec.

Informal entries: use a folksomies structure where users can create 
their own headings/catagories. We do not impose our own incomplete 
ontologies (clasification system) onto these.

Stuff to go in formal spec: (just the spec for these not the actual data)
	Botanical names
	Botanical Families

	Common Names - whilsts informal, this is such a recuring theme

	Locilisation - Countries/Country codes/Lat-Long
		Very accepted spec for country code.

	Book references - generally accepted schemes for citation
		Author/Title/Publisher/Date/etc.

	Web references - URL - Title

Informal elements
	Plant uses - there can be a great many diferent plant uses
		do we wish to restrict our users to just those, we put 	
		in or do we allow users to create their own?

	Habitats - Also a great many

	Division of page into sections - whilst we have some good section 
definitions (Edible Uses/Medicinal Uses/Cultivation details/...)
I can see a need where many other setion might be required.
For example a user might want to divide cultivation/propagation into
	stratification - stimulation of seeds
	pruning -
	grafting
	...
Also other major headings
	history
	folklaw
	where to get seeds

I don't think its wise to restrict the type of sections allowable.

Other things I'm not sure how to place
	Mainly plant properties such as height, flowering times
	Probably in the formal spec bit.
	Could potentually allow users to add a property.

Thoughts?

Rich







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