[Taxacom] ICZN procedure question

[Jim Croft]

Always wondered why these conversations end up at the 'either/or'
nexus.  I am a great fan of the obvious advantages of electronic
access to data and information, but I really worry about entrusting
something as important as the establishment of a new taxon name to
ONLY something as demonstrably fickle, unreliable and evanescent as
the realm on the internet.

The medium of paper and the infrastructure of libraries have had
centuries, nay, millenia, to prove themselves, yet we are willing to
throw the foundation (and the legacy) of our science at a technology
that has really only shown its potential in the last few years.
'Exciting new kid on the block' is all well and good, but what about
'scars, experience and wisdom' (yes, I am looking at you libraries)?

Surely the precautionary principle would suggest we do both as part of
a considered transition? I would most happy if it was a 'mandatory
both' - paper AND electronic to show we are serious about embracing
the technology and serious about what we are creating as legacy for
the next 250 years (decades).

The point of truth... as a doubting Thomas, I want to know that
someone, somewhere, can touch and feel the wound...

jim (and yes, I worry about the proliferation of digital-only images as well)

On Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Paul Kirk <p.kirk at cabi.org> wrote:
> answer to question (i): physical objects can only exist in one place ... and for journals/books that means rich institutions in the 'north' (generalization!) - electronic objects [in an open archive, free to the end user] are universal ... so bridging the 'north south divide'
>
> answer to question (ii): see question (i)
>
> written from the 'south' but I live in the 'north'
>
> Paul
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu on behalf of Stephen Thorpe
> Sent: Thu 11/11/2010 23:02
> To: fwelter at gwdg.de; Doug Yanega; TAXACOM at MAILMAN.NHM.KU.EDU
> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] ICZN procedure question
>
>
>
> the clarifications that I am seeking are (once again):
>
> what are the advantages of e-only over the status quo?
>
> who wants e-only and how will they benefit from it?
>

_________________
Jim Croft ~ jim.croft at gmail.com ~ +61-2-62509499 ~
http://www.google.com/profiles/jim.croft
'A civilized society is one which tolerates eccentricity to the point
of doubtful sanity.'
 - Robert Frost, poet (1874-1963)