permaculture

[Richard Morris <webmaster@pfaf.org>]

> Subject: Re: Plant breeding and cataloging software
> From: Keith Johnson <keithdj@mindspring.com>
> Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 16:05:48 -0500
> X-Message-Number: 5
> 
> Sharon,
> It's already been done for you and it resides at an awesome database 
> created by Plants for A Future
> <http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/index.html> The entire site is also 
> mirrored at a number of other sites around the world. The link above 
> should have all the data. As far as plant breeding, take a look at the
> book Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties by Carole Deppe available from
> the Permaculture Activist ($28 + 10%shipping) PO Box 1209,
> Black Mountain NC 28711. The PFAF folks should be able to tell you 
> what software they used for their database.
> Keith
> 
> Sharon Gordon wrote:
> 
> > Can anyone recommend some good software for cataloging the
> > characteristics of  various varieties of plants and also that would
> > be helpful for plant breeding?
> > Sharon
> > gordonse@one.net

Thanks for the good plug Keith. We do have lots more plans for the
pfaf database. Currently the database is a bit on the read-only side
we like to enhance things so that its easier for people to add their
own information. On the web-site version there is a limited readers
comment section, which is getting a fair response, but still leaves a
lot
to be desired.

What we would like to do is make a better version where its easier for
people to build their own catalogues. This brings up the question
of quite what sort of things people would like to add to their own 
catalogues. What do people on the list think?

As to the software. There are two versions, a standalone version for
use at home which uses microsoft access and the web version which has
been written in C. Lots of thoughts for future version, most likely
visual basic interfacing to an access database, or possible java which
would allow it to run on multiple platforms.

        ttfn

                Rich
-- 
Plants for a Future: 7000 useful plants
Web:       http://www.pfaf.org/  or  http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Main Site: Blagdon Cross Plant Research and Demonstration Gardens,
                Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, England
           Tel: (+44 845) 458 4719
Email:     webmaster@pfaf.org (web related queries only)