pcplantdb

[Chad Knepp <pyg@galatea.org>]

Ugh, I'm sick.  I guess it's a good time to bang on keyboard.

Stephanie Gerson writes:
 > 
 ><snip>
 >
 > 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.

I think the best database would be flexible enough that interface
customization and creation could proceed apace with our figuring out
how we actually use it well.  Open source.  Web/cdrom/.tar.gz/etc.
I'm open to any kind of distribution although initially I think it
makes sense to develop it as a web application.

 > 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?

I admire the richness of information contained in PFAF.  These folks
have done a tremendous service to the PC community, and have open
sourced their contribution.  I have not used any interfaces that
really worked well for me other than my own.  

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

Collaborative input/editing.  If Ken Fern and Richard Morris (and
probably others) can create PFAF, just think if we turned the whole
permacuture list loose on something similar.

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

Well, I like the idea of prototyping in python.  A library for lower
level database interaction with a well documented API would allow
fairly straightforward interface creation (python is super easy) and
the library could later be optimized in a different language.  I have
a long rant about why python that I can give if anyone is interested.
I think keeping it as accessible is an important element.  This means
something that will work on *nix/M$/Apple/etc.

 ><snip>
 >
 > CHAD WROTE:
 > I think I am the person with the skill and motivation to do it; all I 
 > need is cold hard cash. If I were funded for 300 hours @ $15/hr (I'm 
 > worth $50/hr) in 2-4 months I could do some amazing things, with the 
 > permaculture community as the most direct beneficiary.
 > 
 > WHOA THERE CHAD.  FORGIVE ME FOR GETTING A BIT SAD WHEN I READ THIS.  I'M 
 > CERTAIN YOU COULD DO SOME AMAZING THINGS ON YOUR OWN, BUT LET'S WORK 
 > TOGETHER, NO? 
 > 
 > PHEWWWF, THAT'S IT FOR NOW.
 > BUSY BUSY WEEK, BUT I'LL GET TO MY HOMEWORK OVER THE WEEKEND (AND I HOPE 
 > SOMEONE OUT THERE DOES TOO)
 > 
 > JUST TO RE-ITERATE, REALLY GLAD TO BE DISCUSSING WITH YOU ALL, AND WOULD 
 > LOVE TO POOL OUR IDEAS TOGETHER AND APPROACH THIS COLLEVTIVELY.
 > 
 > LET'S *BE* THE GUILD THAT WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD.

Gosh I sure came on a bit strong there.  I think I was feeling a
little frustration in my inability to turn up funding to continue work
on PCPDB earlier.  I also think quite a bit of myself as a developer
and inside all that arrogance is bit of truth.  I think I'm a good
choice to do a lot of the technical implementation.

 ><snip>

-- 
Chad Knepp
perl -e 'print pack"H*","7079674067616c617465612e6f72670a"'