New Tools for Managing Morphology Data (fwd)

[christian thompson]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2001 14:52:47 +1000
From: Steve Shattuck <Steve.Shattuck at ENTO.CSIRO.AU>
Reply-To: DELTA Software Discussion List <DELTA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL>
To: DELTA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL
Subject: New Tools for Managing Morphology Data

New Tools for Managing Taxon- and Specimen-based Morphological Information

The BioLink Team at CSIRO Entomology and the Academy of Natural Sciences
in
Philadelphia recently received funding from the US NSF to develop new
tools
and methods for managing morphological information.  We will build on the
traditions and foundation provided by DELTA and others working in this
area.
However, we are taking a "blank page" approach.  This approach allows us
to
implement new and novel methods without being constrained by earlier
assumptions and implementations.  We can bring with us the best of the old
and merge it with the best of the new, combining extensive understanding
of
managing taxonomic information with modern software development methods.
This represents a quantum leap forward rather than a small evolutionary
step.  The result will be new tools that have little resemblance to the
current DELTA software but provide new and enhanced features and
functionality not currently possible.

The broad goals of this development can be found at
http://www.biolink.csiro.au/morphology.html.

Community feedback on our ideas is essential, especially now before we
caste
them in code.  We would like to know your views on the best features of
the
current DELTA system, and the worst.  If you can spare a few minutes,
please
send your three most favourite and three least favourite DELTA features
directly to us at biolink at ento.csiro.au or to the DELTA-L list.  Together,
we can make sure that identification tools continue to grow and meet the
needs of taxonomy in the new century.

On behalf of the BioLink Team, thanks.

Steve Shattuck
CSIRO Entomology
biolink at ento.csiro.au



F. Christian Thompson
Systematic Entomology Lab., ARS, USDA
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D. C. 20560-0169
(202) 382-1800 voice
(202) 786-9422 FAX
cthompso at sel.barc.usda.gov [NB: no terminal "n"]
visit our Diptera site at www.diptera.org