Stability of Electronic Media for Publication/Data Storage i

[Hugh Wilson]

Seems to me that converson from paper to digital is going to happen
as part of the natural course of technological progress, probably in
ways that we don't appreciate at this point in time.  The archival
element is not centered on plastic or tape.  Once in digital form,
the ease of replication will insure that valuable information will
persist.  A central question, from my point if view, is *who*
determines value of systematic data?  Linkages established by the
internet have changed the notion of 'community' to the point that
reliance on individuals, institutions,  governmental agencies, or
publishers is not necessary and probably not the best option for
stewardship of systematic data in terms of expression, exchange, and
banking.  Professional societies have served this function - to some
extent - in the past, and they carry a 'tradition' that could be
pre-adaptive in this regard.  I don't see any other extant
organizational structure that could function to establish and
implement 'community-based' protocols for organizing and archiving
systematic data that will placed in the digital arena.

On 19 May 98 at 14:21, Stuart G. Poss <sgposs at SEAHORSE.IMS.USM.EDU>
wrote:

My own view is that we need a collective response, perhaps with
societies..


Hugh D. Wilson
Texas A&M University - Biology
h-wilson at tamu.edu (409-845-3354)
http://www.isc.tamu.edu/~hugh/homepage.html