Taxonomic Toolbox, anyone?

[Hugh Wilson]

I have not used this but have worked extensively with the base data
set which, I believe, represents a unique digital resource.  It is,
to my knowledge, the largest 'digital checklist' data set available
for any group of organisms that is fully synonymized, proofed, and
interlinked (family, genus, species, infras)..

I have seen this package demonstrated and it appears to offer many
interesting options.  I also would  be interested in user reviews
of this software.

If this system works as advertised, I think the cost is reasonable
given the work involved in its production and the need to support
this type of floristic activity - modern, fully digital, updatable.

On  2 May 98 at 8:32, Harvey E. Ballard, Jr.
<ballardh at OAK.CATS.OHIOU.EDU> wrote:

Date:          Sat, 2 May 1998 08:32:32 -0400
Reply-to:      "Harvey E. Ballard, Jr." <ballardh at OAK.CATS.OHIOU.EDU>
From:          "Harvey E. Ballard, Jr." <ballardh at OAK.CATS.OHIOU.EDU>
Subject:       Taxonomic Toolbox, anyone?
To:            Multiple recipients of list TAXACOM <TAXACOM at CMSA.BERKELEY.EDU>

Dear Folks:
Phil Cantino, Gar Rothwell and I are inquiring about the utility and
"user-friendliness" of the Taxonomic Toolbox package of three computer
modules that comprises Kartecz et al.'s "Digital Floristic Synthesis of
North America", recently advertised by Patricia Ledlie Bookseller.  It
looks to be potentially valuable for a broad range of floristic/systematic
purposes; but the three-module package sells for $495--a substantial
financial investment.

Does anyone have direct personal experience with this?  What is your
opinion about its worth versus the price tag?  We have the money to
purchase it for student and faculty use, but we want evidence that it will
indeed be useful and usable before throwing money at it.

Thanks,
Harvey Ballard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harvey E. Ballard, Jr., Assistant Professor, Plant Evolution and Systematics
Department of Environmental and Plant Biology
Porter Hall, Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593-4659 (office & lab phone)
(740) 593-1130 (fax)
email: ballardh at oak.cats.ohiou.edu


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