Spelling detection and correction in Taxonomic Databases

[erast]

F. Christian Thompson wrote:
> And when we tell then from experience that the only possible way to resolve
> this history of names is to re-examine the ORIGINAL literature, we are
> ignored as luddites.

         For a nomenclatural database of World corticioid Hymenomycetes
(Fungi), I examined the original literature during some 35 years.
Unhappily, no PCs were available then; I had to wait until 1988
when I began to pass the data from a card index (with photo-, xerox-
& handwritten copies of original descriptions etc.) to a PC XT.
However, nobody ignored my attempts, no grants were applied or given,
but all my friends and colleagues (in Europe, Asia, Americas...) gave me great
help. Now the database is available in WWW.
        For good taxonomy of (most) fungi, knowledge of all World
species is necessary. A database of names is something quite normal
for this.

> Yes, there are short-cuts, such as registration systems which have been
> proposed in both zoology and botany, but so long as the scientific community
> rejects them...
        Rejection of registration as well as of the idea of lists of
taxa in current use is a curious phenomenon; only psychologists are
possibly able to give the answer: QUI BONO?
     Erast Parmasto
*****************
Erast Parmasto
Institute of Zoology & Botany
181 Riia St.,  51014 Tartu, Estonia
Tel 372-7-383 027   Fax 372 -7-383 013