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pcplantdb - [pcplantdb] Schema again

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  • From: Chad Knepp <pyg@galatea.org>
  • To: Permaculture Plant Database <pcplantdb@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [pcplantdb] Schema again
  • Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2005 10:34:21 -0500

Richard Morris writes:
> 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.

Absolutely, I think we all more or less agreed to an *open vocabulary*
in regards to this type of info.

> 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?

This is approximately parallel to my own thinking. I've sort of
pictured it as a tree structure with the root being the name[s]
object. Everything else attaches to this and becomes more loosely
structured as it branches away from the trunk, eventually becoming
very free form.

--
Chad Knepp
python -c 'import base64;print base64.decodestring("cHlnQGdhbGF0ZWEub3Jn")'




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