TurboTaxonomy?

[Paul Kirk]

OK Jim, so you think registration is inherently evil, but how is your
comprehensive indexing to be achieved when there is no requirement in the
Codes that producers of names should advise the indexers that they have
produced names? Only recently a series of nomenclatural novelties published
after thorough taxonomic research were subsequently found to be in error
because an obscure effective publication from a couple of decades earlier
had remained effectively hidden from the world. Neither the producer of this
publication and the names therein, nor at least one (prominent, in this
case) taxonomist who obtained a copy of the publication, considered it
relevant to inform the appropriate indexing centre of it's existence. This
is all as a result of the taxonomic impediment you correctly identify in
taxonomist themselves - it's what some taxonomist do, period. Perhaps there
is a promised land somewhere in the future (GBIF?) and there the 'rightous'
will prosper, but in the interim chaos reigns.

Paul M. Kirk
CABI Bioscience
www.indexfungorum.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Croft
To: TAXACOM at LISTSERV.NHM.KU.EDU
Sent: 24/08/04 01:09
Subject: Re: [TAXACOM] TurboTaxonomy?

> The "taxonomic impediment" will be alleviated when taxononmists are
allowed
> to do taxonomy and are adequately compensated for it.  All else is
> rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

If you get more taxonomists and pay them more, all you will end up with
is
more of the same...  which depending on you point of view might be a
good
thing... or a bad thing...

In my opinion we will always have a taxonomic impediment as long there
are
taxonomists doing what taxonomists have always done...

Without a change in mind set and a concerted commitment by taxonomists
to
work together on or towards a single focussed global project, taxonomy
and
taxonomists will continue to be their own impediments... it is just part
of the human condition of many people working in multiple teams with
diverse interests.

But I must confess to being optimistic about it all. The large
collaborative projects coming out of and arising from GBIF, etc. are all
very encouraging.

(Just to clarify Rich, I still regard registration as inherently evil -
comprehensive indexing on the other hand is good and righteous... :)

jim