[Taxacom] Biodiversity Informatics on wikipedia - contributions welcome

[Stephen Thorpe]

Sounds to me like you have written it off, but I wonder if you have  
looked at it
much lately, as the "bare bones" are starting to gain weight! If it  
isn't a true database, then it is BETTER than a database. It can do  
anything a database can do, and more, if you know how it works  
properly. Although the main taxon pages are strictly formatted,  
anything can go on the associated talk pages. It can handle the  
following features:
(1) synonymy
(2) homonymy
(3) images
(4) links to pdfs and other websites
(5) distribution
(6) associated organisms
(7) disputed classifications

Basically, Wikispecies is fast becoming a "hub" with links to other  
relevant websites, and also a library and structured bibliography of  
epic proportions...

Just for one average example, have a browse through Leptofoeninae:

http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Leptofoeninae

Stephen


Quoting Tony.Rees at csiro.au:

> It's true! I guess someone else can fix my omission, maybe... - I  
> tend not to look at Wikispecies myself very much, finding it a bit  
> "bare bones" for many purposes... also not a true database  
> (methinks) although aspiring to some of the same goals.
>
> Regards - Tony
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stephen Thorpe [mailto:s.thorpe at auckland.ac.nz]
> Sent: Thursday, 6 August 2009 4:33 PM
> To: Rees, Tony (CMAR, Hobart)
> Cc: rogerhyam at mac.com; taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Biodiversity Informatics on wikipedia -  
> contributions welcome
>
> Tony,
> Is it just me, or have you just managed to write a whole lot on
> Wikipedia about taxonomic databases without even a mention of
> Wikipedia's somewhat relevant sister project, Wikispecies????
> Cheers,
> Stephen
>
> Quoting Tony.Rees at csiro.au:
>
>> Dear all, (and Roger),
>>
>> As a "Biodiversity Informatics" and biological data management
>> person myself, I have been somewhat underwhelmed by the treatment of
>> this topic to date on Wikipedia (basically almost nothing on the
>> designated page, plus a competing page "Biodiversity Information"
>> that said even less), so I have made a start at restructuring the
>> relevant page: you can see my efforts at
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity_Informatics
>>
>> As stated above it is just a start, plenty more to do, so anyone
>> interested is welcome to pitch in. There is also a page for comments
>> and general discussion at:
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Biodiversity_Informatics
>>
>> I decided it might also be helpful to create an associated page for
>> taxonomic databases, now done, see:
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonomic_database
>>
>> Happy wikitinkering/wikiimproving,
>>
>> Regards - Tony
>>
>> Tony Rees
>> Manager, Divisional Data Centre,
>> CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research,
>> GPO Box 1538,
>> Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
>> Ph: 0362 325318 (Int: +61 362 325318)
>> Fax: 0362 325000 (Int: +61 362 325000)
>> e-mail: Tony.Rees at csiro.au
>> Manager, OBIS Australia regional node, http://www.obis.org.au/
>> Biodiversity informatics research activities:
>> http://www.cmar.csiro.au/datacentre/biodiversity.htm
>> Personal
>> info: http://www.fishbase.org/collaborators/collaboratorsummary.cfm?id=1566
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>> [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Roger Hyam
>> Sent: Wednesday, 5 August 2009 12:18 AM
>> To: Taxacom
>> Subject: [Taxacom] New Blog Post: Calling Time on Biological Nomenclature
>>
>> http://www.hyam.net/blog/archives/509
>>
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