[Taxacom] Wikispecies is not a database

[Roderic Page]

On 8 Aug 2009, at 01:24, Bob Mesibov wrote:

> Rod Page wrote:
>
> "Hmmm, let's imagine the web without Google. Imagine how much fun  
> that would be. I'd suggest that if we don't have a decent  
> aggregation of what we know, then we can kiss the field good buy  
> (or, maybe we've done that already...?)"
>
> Please don't confuse a search engine with the data sources being  
> searched for. And let me rephrase what you wrote this way:
>
> "If we *only* have a decent aggregation of what we know, then we can  
> kiss the field good bye."

I was using Google to convey the idea that if we ONLY have  
distributed, independent data sources, then we are in big trouble. To  
use Geoffrey Bilder's happy phrase (http://tinyurl.com/abobqq )  
"distributed begets “centralized" . The web is great in that it is  
distributed and decentralised (i.e., pretty much as taxonomy is), but  
in order to make it widely usable, we need centralised services  
(search engines, indexes, domain name services, etc.).

The widespread existence of homonyms is one consequence of  
distribution without centralisation.

>
> If 80-90% (pick your estimate) of the world's life is undiscovered  
> or undocumented, then 80-90% of the world's life isn't in taxonomic  
> data aggregations and can't be found through Google. You won't find  
> information about a single new, undiscovered species on the Web. If  
> taxonomists stop discovering and documenting life and sit in their  
> offices manipulating Web-based data, then we can indeed kiss the  
> field goodbye.

Why can it not be a case of data aggregation AND discovery?  
Furthermore, if you think there are no undiscovered species on the  
web, then you haven't been using eBay! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7572052.stm 
  (tongue somewhat in cheek)

Regards

Rod



> -- 
> Dr Robert Mesibov
> Honorary Research Associate
> Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, and
> School of Zoology, University of Tasmania
> Home contact: PO Box 101, Penguin, Tasmania, Australia 7316
> (03) 64371195; 61 3 64371195
> Website: http://www.qvmag.tas.gov.au/mesibov.html
>

---------------------------------------------------------
Roderic Page
Professor of Taxonomy
DEEB, FBLS
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University of Glasgow
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