pcplantdb

[Chad Knepp <pyg@galatea.org>]

This is good feedback Heide, so I'm forwarding it to the PIW and dev
list for more discussion.

Thanks!
Chad

Heide Hermary writes:
 > Chad, I have no idea what you are referring to, I don't see those icons 
 > on either the regular nor advanced search.
 > 
 > Sorry, haven't had time to look at the search menu closely to see how 
 > useful it is - I'm just sooo swamped right now. here my really quick 
 > first impression (search only - and will focus on problems. Overall a 
 > good first version)
 > - the choices are confusing
 > - no idea what you mean by "habitat"
 > - no idea what you mean by "poor soil" - it's a chliche that can mean 
 > all kinds of things but generally nothing
 > - Would be good to put soil conditions and climatic conditions into 
 > separate categories, I couldn't even find the full sun category.
 > - habit needs to be divided  - too much overlap
 > - if you're going to mention bulb and corm, why not all the other 
 > geophytes?  Maybe the term "geophyte" would be better.
 > - If you have ferns, why not mosses and club mosses and liverworts, 
 > etc.? In some ways you're going into huge detail, in others you're 
 > ingnoring half the plant world.  Problem: you're mixing up your 
 > terminology.
 > - no idea what you mean by plant uses
 > - missing the most important information: synergistic and antagonistic 
 > relationships (plants and others).
 > - Would like to see cultivar near the top, Not sure what the purpose is 
 > down there.
 > - provide an explanation of what people should enter (a "help" field for 
 > each choice)
 > 
 > I really like that way we organized the Gaia College plant database, it 
 > works extremely well. I'm afraid you've fallen into few conventional 
 > "traps".
 > 
 > Cheers, H
 > 
 > 
 > Chad Knepp wrote:
 > 
 > >Hi again Heide,
 > >
 > >Sorry to be so long in replying, I was on a working vacation from
 > >computers and PIW development.
 > >
 > >The significant difference is the ability to add (indicated by the
 > >pencil shaped icon) and edit (indicated by the erasing pencil icon)
 > >all kinds of information including new plants, descriptions,
 > >cultivars, comments, etc.  Also the advanced search makes it possible
 > >to locate plants based on very specific criteria.
 > >
 > >I would be really interested in how to make this kind of thing more
 > >obvious to other users.  I've used computers for 2/3rds of my life so
 > >it's difficult for me to develop an interface that is intuitive to
 > >folks who aren't as geeky as I am.  
 > >
 > >Thanks,
 > >Chad
 > >
 > >Heide Hermary writes:
 > > > I tried that link but I don't know how to anything other than search.. 
 > > > I 
 > > > did get an account and logged on and didn't see any difference. What 
 > > > am 
 > > > I missing?
 > > > Cheers, Heide
 > > > 
 > > > Chad Knepp wrote:
 > > > 
 > > > >Hello Heide,
 > > > >
 > > > >I'm not sure if you are still on the PIW list and if not I did a new
 > > > >major release yesterday that now contains a lot of the features I
 > > > >think you were interested in.  It has a lot of rough edges at the
 > > > >moment but I'd be interested in your feedback if you have time to
 > > > >check it out.  The development version is at
 > > > ><http://dev.permaculture.info/>.  
 > > > >
 > > > >Thanks,
 > > > >Chad