pcplantdb

[Richard Morris <webmaster@pfaf.org>]

Chad,
> Well, it's flooding here (been raining for the last two weeks) so I'm
> currently in process of starting to restructure the tables like I've
> talked about before, while still keeping an eye to backwards
> compatibility, although this may require some external scripts.  I'm
> also moving to python (which I know less well) for [cleaner] longer
> term development.

We just had an almighty thunder storm here this morning a couple
of hours worth!  Which is good as we haven't had much rain for the 
past month or so.
 
Python's a thing I've never tried either. What are the advantages?

> I am still trying to figure out how I could work on pfaf/pcpdb as
> something more than a rainy day project.  If you are aware of any
> foundations or grant programs that may be interested, please advise.
> I still don't even have a clear line on what I could add development
> wise and sell as a grant proposal.

I think we could make this really big, indeed if the project
is to fulfil its potential it needs to be really big. Getting
the critical mass of contributors to really make it work is essential.

In my dreams I been think of writing to all the big charities
and societies in the field floating the idea. One of them may
bite. I think we need to think much bigger than the permaculture
world. I think the idea of a truly collaborative plant database
is such a good one that a lot of people would go for it and its
relevant to many different spheres: ethnobotany, herbal medicine,
etc.

I'd guess we would need to put a good proposal with a mock up
or beta version. Some sort of vision statement for the proposal.
With that done we would have a better chance of attracting funding.
Are you in the states? If so it might help with funding from this 
side (international co-operation).

I just wish I had some time!
> 
> I had a look at the web version yesterday and was pleasantly surprised
> by the changes.  Your physical characteristics paragraph is much
> cleaner than mine, which may inspire a cleaner version here.  One
> thing I noticed though was while doing a common name search for
> comfrey, your database is pulling data from *Other Common Names*, a
> column on some table I don't seem to have.  Can you enlighten me about
> this one.

Yep, the web version has incorporated data from quite a few other
sources. See http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/Links_4.html
for some of them. You'll note the web references section lower
down the page. I've grabbed common names and botanical synonyms
from all these other sources which go into the other common names
field. As this is not actually PFAF data, and there is copyright
concerns, its not included in our access version. I can
let you have list of these other names etc. There is also
a big 100MB database which I use to cross reference the various
datasources, maybe a bit big for email.

        Let it rain!

                All the best

                        Rich
--
Plants for a Future: 7000 useful plants
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