permaculture

[Richard Morris <webmaster@pfaf.org>]

Hi folks,
        Theres been some interesting discussion on the
pcplantdb (permaculture plant database) mailing list reciently.
The aim of the project is to try and create a more colabrative
database which allow other peoples input and possibly with
a broader scope that the pfaf one. Introducing info on plant guilds
seem to be an important aspect of the project.

Anyway some good questions were posted:

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.

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?

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

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

I'd also like to add a couple of my own:

5. Format: web based or cd-rom?

6. Economics / licencing: should it be free as in beer, free as in 
speach, should it be done just by volunatary effort or via funding
for developers or by some sort of fee from the users?

If anyone out there has views on these subjects then it would be great 
if you could respond to the pcplantdb mailing list:


To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
        http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/pcplantdb
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
        pcplantdb-request@lists.ibiblio.org

Send pcplantdb mailing list submissions to
        pcplantdb@lists.ibiblio.org

        Rich
--
Plants for a Future: 7000 useful plants
Web:   http://www.pfaf.org/ same as http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Post:  1 Lerryn View, Lerryn, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0QJ
Tel:     01208 872 963 / 0845 458 4719  
Email: webmaster@pfaf.org
PFAF electronic mailing list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pfaf