pcplantdb

[Stephanie Gerson <sgerson@stanfordalumni.org>]

hey yalls,

This is a synthesis by default.  There have just been so many messages lately
(yeehaw) that it seems easier for everyone involved to send one (alright I
confess, I’ve already sent a few others) roundin’ it all up than sending
numerous.  So here goes:

-Input/Output business – I think the input/output model is a fantastic way
to organize relationships.  Not going to go into detail here, but I would like
to discuss this further.  I’ve attached an image (also viewable at
http://www.zeri.org/index.cfm?id=projectBrewery) that might help clarify
(Bear, can you please post the one you have on the wiki?).  I’d like to
introduce this topic of relationships and how to model them to the PIW list,
and let them discuss it.  Are there different opinions/examples/websites I
should present, or should I simply state the question: how to organize and
represent relationships between plants? 

-Related, I have some great news.  Remember how I told you that my father
works with Laszlo Systems (no one seemed to care).  Anyways, I asked if
they’d be willing to make a simple prototype of PIW for us and he agreed. 
But it’s gotta be simple – because I am pressed for time and so are they. 
I was going to work with them at the end of August, but if there’s anything
I should know/see – let me know now.  (Bear, you are more than welcome to
come along.)  For example, if the above conversation on inputs/outputs, and
relationship-modeling in general, could be put in a spec or something, that
would be very useful.  Would this kind of information go in the wiki spec? 
And is anyone using it (besides Rich)?
 
-PIW list – there have been a few messages from PIWers wanting to help, but
not quite understanding how.  Can we please make our responses to them
intelligible?  Before I ever did any software development/QA, “dev site”
would have meant nothing to me.  Let’s try to make this as easy as possible
for them, ok?  

-Financial matters – I am more than willing to forfeit the money I am
‘owed’ and use the remaining for other folks’ salaries and anything else
we might need.  I also recognize that the money will dwindle slowly, and if we
would like to meet (perhaps at Chad’s place in 2007…faraway, but I Love
that idea), we should decide before that point.  In my budget, I _did_ include
an item for Travel Expenses = $2,400:

“Project-participant meeting & Dissemination/Presentation/Conference
visits—for all project participants to simultaneously convene in person and
present/gather information at Permaculture conference”

So technically, this would be justified.  Simply a matter of wanting to spend
remaining funds in this manner, and choosing a venue that would be
fruitful/appropriate.  What do you all think?  Also, whatever happened to the
Pay Payl thing?  Sorry to sound grouchy, but everyone says how easy it is but
no one sets it up.  Would anyone be willing?  

-Also, does PFAF link to PIW anywhere on their website?  It would be nice to
be linked from http://www.pfaf.org/links/linksOldBib.php or elsewhere. 
Rich??

-Lawrence, did you ever figure out why some of us are losing emails?

-So Firefox.  Oy ve.  I was Loving my new browser, and then I started reading
your posts about how buggy it is…and all of a sudden, it started force
quitting on me for the first time ever!  Revenge against your criticisms,
perhaps?  So I couldn’t access any of the sites you’ve sent out – i.e.
http://www.arkitus.com/?id=19 and http://www.nextapp.com/products/echo2/.  Is
this because of the sites themselves, or because of Firefox?  Please temper
your responses, I don’t want no more force quitting.

-Also, I’d Love to change my email client.  Lawrence says to use Mozilla. 
Or should I try Thunderbird?  Bear, you want to try again?  Or should I write
to Thunderbird myself?

-Congratulations on 0.3.0, Chad!  I look forward to testing it.

Finally, just wanted to let you all know that I am going to have much less
time to work on this in the near future.  I’m going back to school at the
end of August, and anticipate being quite a busy student.  

Everyone seems to be away or going away (is anyone reading this?), so have a
wonderful time wherever you are or going…
 
wholly guacamole
*Stephanie


+++++++++++++++
Stephanie Gerson
sgerson@stanfordalumni.org
(c) 415.871.5683


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