Spelling detection and correction in Taxonomic Databases

[Richard Pyle]

> Thanks, Rich & Doug, for the proper answer to the problems of taxonomic
> databases.

The truth is, I've not yet seen anyone either on this list, or off this
list, suggest an "improper" answer to this question.  In every discussion on
the topic of cataloging scientific names I've ever participated in (and this
includes a number of such discussions with Advisors and Principals at ALL),
it was clearly acknowledged by all parties that the most important (and
time-consuming) task of cataloging taxonomic names is verifying such names
against original descriptions.  In fact, my understanding is that this is a
big part of the reason why ALL has expressed an interest in digitally
scanning original descriptions of species -- to help facilitate this
process.  I don't think that anyone is suffering the dellusion that
computers alone (without taxonomic experts) will provide the solution to
indexing scientific names.  But equally foolish is the notion that computers
cannot be utilized as powerful tools by taxonomists to dramatically improve
the efficiency of the process.  That I (a biologist with no formal training
in computer programming) was left with no choice but to develop my own
software application as a tool of this sort, underscores the reality that no
existing software (that I am aware of, at least) really hits the mark for
managing all the taxonomic data that we as taxonomists need to organize.

If we're ever going to move forward on the Catalog of Life, we're going to
need to harness the power of both the old (taxonomic expertise to review
scientific literature and its relevance to taxon names) and the new
(hardware and software developed by computer gurus, to enormously streamline
the ability for aforementioned taxonomic experts to access and exchange the
primary information they will need in order to conduct such reviews
efficiently).  What is highly encouraging to me is the growing abundance of
examples of this sort of collaboration between technology and expertise
(e.g., World Diptera, Antbase.org, Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fish Names, etc.,
etc., etc.).  These sorts of efforts will undoubtedly serve as guides for
future efforts by others to fill in the remaining gaps.

Aloha,
Rich

Richard L. Pyle
Ichthyology, Bishop Museum
1525 Bernice St., Honolulu, HI 96817
Ph: (808)848-4115, Fax: (808)847-8252
email: deepreef at bishopmuseum.org
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/bishop/HBS/pylerichard.html
"The opinions expressed are those of the sender, and not necessarily those
of Bishop Museum."

> Unfortunately, there remains many, especially new ones, such as ALL, who
> think there is some simple computerized solution to 250 years worth of
> biological names. Hire a computer guru, surf the web, suck in the names,
> let's the computer cruch them and you will have your Electronic Catalog of
> Known Organisms or whatever. Unfortunately, those computer gurus, forget
> GIGO!

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