Electronic publishing

[Hannu Saarenmaa]

Thanks for this interesting and needed discussion.

The biggest concern on electronic publishing IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
For the traditional way, libraries, paper, and museums with specimens
provide it.  For electronic information to complement this existing
infrastructure, we need something similar to GenBank (but slightly
more distributed) to act as clearing-house and safe archive.

Before GenBank, molecular biology was in similar disarray (sorry to
say) as taxonomy is now.  Now it is better (but that is another story).

The main benefits of electronic publishing are in FAST publishing,
access, and searching of information.  We must do something to speed
up research as our planet is now losing more species per year than
we can describe new.

While this discussion goes on, the Convention on Biological Diversity
is implementing its Clearing-House Mechanism, and is building it
on top of Internet.  Now it would be a good time for taxonomy to find
its place in the CHM of CBD.

Hannu Saarenmaa, IT Manager          hannu.saarenmaa at eea.dk
European Environment Agency          http://www.eea.dk/
Kongens Nytorv 6                     tel:+45-33367115
DK-1050 Copenhagen K                 fax:+45-33367199