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pcplantdb - [pcplantdb] Re: pcplantdb Digest, Vol 6, Issue 1

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  • From: Richard Morris <webmaster@pfaf.org>
  • To: pcplantdb@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [pcplantdb] Re: pcplantdb Digest, Vol 6, Issue 1
  • Date: Wed, 01 Oct 2003 20:09:20 +0100

Folks,

For some reason I didn't get the original wowww post sent to me
in the digest.

1. What would be want the ultimate plant/guild database to be able to acheive? brainstorm *goals*, forget tech format for now. get specific (i.e. I want to be able to insert x,y,z criteria and design a medicinal guild for my local region...) Also specify fee (free or paid), format (web or cd rom)-- how this tool is accessed.

From my experience there are a lot of different types of people
who use the pfaf database, some I can mention:-
school children - want to know why plants are green etc.
farmers looking for new crops - I just had a guy asking
about the econimics of growing ginko, I'd love to
have more info about the economics of growing
different plants. Yields! Costs, Labour input.
herbalists looking for info on the health giving nature of
plants
craftsmen - want to get info on different uses of the plants,
whats a good wood for coppicing?
ecologists, botanists, historians - want to know about
the history/folklaw/ethnobottany of the plant,
how it works in an ecosystem (a bit like guilds)
gardeners - these have very different needs to farmers above
economics less important but visual aspects more

important.
bioinfomaticians - this is a big growing field, storing info
on biolgical subjects. Princapally gene sequencing,
but (blows own trumpet) I've been invited to give a
talk on the pfaf db at a bioinformatics winter school,
so theres quite a bit of academic interest in this.
permaculture people -

2. What characteristics of current plant/guild databases can serve as a model- features we admire, and would we want to include in a 'next level' project?

There is a LOT of good info out there. Our google rank is going down
just because there is so much else on the web. I've very interested
in integrating with other existing datasets which already have the info.

3. What are current plant/guild databases lacking, that we would aspire to include in a 'next level' project?

Principle things I think are missing from pfaf db:
1) Pictures - the most common question we get asked.
2) Identification info.
3) A short description of the plant giving key features.
4) Regional infomation. all our info is UK based.
5) Yeilds, and all the other information a commercial grower
would require.
6) Suppliers: where to get the plants/seeds, where to get the
end products
7) History/folklaw/common names in other regions
8) Visuals, its a very text oriented thing.

4. only AFTER answering the first 3, brainstorm tech formats/platforms that could acheive this end and how.

Darn, thats my favorite bit!

My own Q's

5. Website or CD-ROM.

Both ideally. Web is better for colabrative bit, but now always
suitable for people in the field, people who can't afford the connection
or less developed countries.

6. Commercial/legal side.

I reciently saw the the Free Software Foundations page about
Selling Free Software http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html

>>>
Many people believe that the spirit of the GNU project is that you should not charge money for distributing copies of software, or that you should charge as little as possible -- just enough to cover the cost.

Actually we encourage people who redistribute free software to charge as much as they wish or can. If this seems surprising to you, please read on.

The word ``free'' has two legitimate general meanings; it can refer either to freedom or to price. When we speak of ``free software'', we're talking about freedom, not price. (Think of ``free speech'', not ``free beer''.) Specifically, it means that a user is free to run the program, change the program, and redistribute the program with or without changes.

Free programs are sometimes distributed gratis, and sometimes for a substantial price. Often the same program is available in both ways from different places. The program is free regardless of the price, because users have freedom in using it.

Non-free programs are usually sold for a high price, but sometimes a store will give you a copy at no charge. That doesn't make it free software, though. Price or no price, the program is non-free because users don't have freedom.

Since free software is not a matter of price, a low price isn't more free, or closer to free. So if you are redistributing copies of free software, you might as well charge a substantial fee and make some money. Redistributing free software is a good and legitimate activity; if you do it, you might as well make a profit from it.

Free software is a community project, and everyone who depends on it ought to look for ways to contribute to building the community. For a distributor, the way to do this is to give a part of the profit to the Free Software Foundation or some other free software development project. By funding development, you can advance the world of free software.
>>>

Rich
--
Plants for a Future: 7000 useful plants
Web: http://www.pfaf.org/ same as http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Post: 1 Lerryn View, Lerryn, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0QJ
Tel: 01208 872 963 / 0845 458 4719
Email: webmaster@pfaf.org
PFAF electronic mailing list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pfaf






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