permaculture

[Heide Hermary <heidehermary@pacificcoast.net>]

Not being an expert at developing such complexes data bases, I'm 
nonetheless a frustrated user of them.

I think it would be useful at this point to decide how people are going 
to use the information / to what purpose.  I like the information you 
want to collect about plants, and I have previously posted my 
PlantDataBaseWishlist on the Wiki.

The problem I see is that, in order to be most widely useful:

   * data entry should be in plain language, and by category.  Plants
      / Nature defy one-word description.
   * search should be by category,  with the facility to search text
     within the database categories for specific information.

I know this is not what relational databases do at this point.  However 
the technology exists for key word searches / web searches, and the 
technology exists for relational data bases. Can the Wiki technology not 
be used to combine these two? I am quite aware that we are talking about 
something quite new, and something very huge.

Michael and I have discussed this at great length, and that's what he 
will work on.  Neither of us has time to do this right now, even though 
this is most intriguing. So the best support I can give at the moment 
are just comments.
Heide

   *





Richard Morris wrote:

> Hi Folks,
>         I've put the beginnings of a specification for the
> database on the wiki at
>         http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/pcwiki/index.php/PcPlantDb
> very incomplete as only a few thoughts about plants.
>
> It would be good to see some comments on this as I'd like to get
> things nearly right before diving into coding. 
>
> Whether to Wiki or not?
> Theres some things I like about the wiki, other bits not so keen on.
>
> I'd like to keep track on who added what, sourcing information I feel is
> important.
>
> Very unsure about facilities to change other peoples text, adding text
> fine
> deleting text not so sure on.
>
> Its a bit unstructured for me. Several very important features of a
> professional
> DB not apparent in wiki culture. I seem to get lost very easily.
>
> The sections noted in the specs could be used in wiki pages.
>
>         Time for bed
>
>                 Rich
> --
> Plants for a Future: 7000 useful plants
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