COMPUTER VS. PAPER

[Paul Schoolmeesters]

Hello everybody,

Some thoughts of a amateur (from 05:00 pm and weekends) not paid by government
or institute and with limited funds (selfsponsering).

I don't want to be messed up in a endless discussion but...

I have been trying for years now to gather and complete the keys of the
coprophagous Scarabaeoidea of the world on paper (copies, wordprocessing).

I am still missing a lot of keys. Mostly not published on paper.

Most keys are regional or for one country only.

A year ago somebody mentioned program DELTA, I got a copy directly and very
fast by mail from Mike.

Not being an expert in computers, nevertheless I manage to produce something.

Since then I am only using Delta to produce keys, and that only in trying to
join partial keys for genera or groups into one for each genus.

I am on the Internet for two months and on a simple request on DELTA-L
Joseph Kirkbride took some time in examining my work and has given a lot of
hints on which I am working for the moment. Thank you Joseph !

Another copy is send to Fermin Piera (Spain) for examination.

Once done with all remarks, I shall do the same request on Taxacom.

About what Michael A. Ivie wrote:
"There must be thousand of unpublished keys out there"

The key I am working on "Aphodius subgenera" is for my personal use.
Everybody who is interested can become a copy by simple request on E-mail.

Of course a directory on DELTA with unpublished and unfinished keys would save
some people a lot of work (maybe some people are working on the same key).

CONCLUSION: those who work on paper, keep on publishing so others can upgrade
            there interactive keys.

For Mike hip hip hurah !!!!

Money is only interesting when you can spend it.

Cheers.

Paul Schoolmeesters
Langeveldstraat, 23
B-3020 Herent Belgium
E-mail : schoolp at glo.be

All information of coprophagous Scarabaeoidea of the world WELCOME
as are species.