[Taxacom] Data query, ETC.

[Chris Thompson]

Frank,

AND what is more frustrating is the HUGE amount of money that has been 
expended on these mega-projects to simply repeat, re-harvest, etc., the same 
old basic taxonomic information, just generating new software.

And virtually nothing is left over for fundamental, basic research into the 
discovery and documentation of our ever disappearing biodiversity.

So, in a few years you dynastine beetle will be gone, but we will continue 
to waste money on re-cycling the same old information about them in newer 
forms, formats, etc.

And yes, this is not restricted to Systematics. But this is simply the 
formula for why Apple, Microsoft, et alia, are trillion / billion dollar 
corporations. Generate new formats / access protocols / etc., to the same 
data, but generate lots of $$$. And yes, since from the original UNIVAC to 
today's iPod, etc., bringing computer power the general public is WONDERFUL, 
but how much NEW information is really available to the public. [Yes, thanks 
to Snowden, lots!! Smile!]

Cheers,

Chris


-----Original Message----- 
From: Frank.Krell at dmns.org
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 10:43 AM
To: dpwijesinghe at yahoo.com ; taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Data query


"I for one fail to see the point of 'mega-projects' using copied, re-copied 
and 'machine-read' data."

particularly since they still make data retrieval pretty frustrating. I just 
googled the rhinoceros beetle Temnorhynchus sjoestedti. Apart from some of 
my own papers, the search revealed 15 pages repeating zero information. 
Well, I know now that it belongs to Protostomia and Insecta, and that it is 
a dynastine. This kind of outcome is the same for most species in the world, 
and has remained largely unchanged for years, apart from the fact that the 
number of pages revealing this information has increased. Reality can be 
frustrating.

Frank

Dr. Frank-T. Krell
Curator of Entomology
Commissioner, International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Chair, ICZN ZooBank Committee
Department of Zoology
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
2001 Colorado Boulevard
Denver, CO 80205-5798 USA
Frank.Krell at dmns.org
Phone: (+1) (303) 370-8244
Fax: (+1) (303) 331-6492
http://www.dmns.org/science/museum-scientists/frank-krell
lab page: http://www.dmns.org/krell-lab
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science aspires to create a community of 
critical thinkers who understand the lessons of the past and act as 
responsible stewards of the future.
_______________________________________________
Taxacom Mailing List
Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/mailman/listinfo/taxacom

The Taxacom Archive back to 1992 may be searched with either of these 
methods:

(1) by visiting http://taxacom.markmail.org

(2) a Google search specified as:  site:mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom 
your search terms here

Celebrating 26 years of Taxacom in 2013.