Electronic archiving

[Joe Laferriere]

I have a suggestion on archiving of electronically published names. This
is a primarily a suggestion for botanists, as I am a botanist and know
little of the inner workings of the ICZN, but I'm sure a similar
arrangement could be made there.
    The current (Tokyo) version of the ICBN states that after 1999, a name
will note be validly published unless a copy is sent to a central
registration committee. It is a bit unclear as to just how a reader is
expected to tell from looking at a journal whether or not it has been sent
to the committee, but that is the suject for another discussion.

Let us assume:

1) The registration committee will not throw these journals and /or
reprints in the trash after registering the names therein, but rather
deposit the journals in one or more libraries; and

2) The registration requirement will apply to electronically as well as
paper-published names.

I suggest combining the two tasks of registry and archiving. The committee
should be directed to deposit copies of paper publications in libraries in
at least half a dozen countries. Similarly, electronically published works
should be pooled by the committee into a central archive.  It will be the
committee's responsibility to periodically review the status of the
archives and determine whether any of the information is in danger of
being lost. The committee shall then decide how and when to transfer the
data to a new storage format, and make sure that this gets done.