Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 08:19:46 EDT From: PTemple001 <PTemple001@aol.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1762$foo@default> Subject: Re: Windows95 application to handle CP (or other) collections
Andrew (and others)
(I hope no-one complains about this email before reading it!!!)
ANYONE RESPONDING DIRECTLY TO THIS MAIL SHOULD REPLY
DIRECT TO
PTemple001@aol.com
TO AVOID ANNOYANCE TO THOSE NOT INTERESTED IN FURTHER
DISCUSSION ON THE LISTSERVER CONFERENCE. No reason why
general discussion or replies to Andrew's original mail should not
continue on the listserver though.
For some time I have been writing a Windows application to manage my own CP
collection. By pure chance I got my PC working (oh no, more AOL problems!!!)
just in time to catch your mail.
This application was written based on a very simple set of realisations:
a) I could not find an application that managed my collection data
b) simple Word Processing lists are complicated to use as they never allow
sorting
of data by type, species, year, etc
c) the only applications I could find following a fairly extensive search were
trivial,
very expensive (I found a good one for $75,000!!!) or not better than
average but
took a whole day to instal!!!
I hold a collection known as a National Collection. For those who do not
understand this, in the United Kingdom (and now in several other countries,
Australia, France, etc.) the Botanic Gardens are accepted as the primary plant
collections but private collections are now recognised as able to be equally
important. In the UK, this recognition means that well kept, well managed,
significant collections can be accepted as "National Collections". Mine is of
Pinguicula.
To maintain my data, I must record and then maintain, plant names, pseudonyms,
the name a plant first arrived as (often plants are supplied using incorrect
names and these need to be recorded so others with this plant from the same
source can correct the name), collection details (if collected from the wild),
endangered status (using agreed international standards), etc. etc. etc..,
growing conditions, whether live or now dead and if dead then why, type of
material (living, preserved, etc.).
The application is designed to allow sorting. So, for example, if one assumes
one maintains a list of CP's, you could sort the plants as follows (examples
only)
- by Genus
- by taxa in general (any part of the botanical name)
- by arbitrary factors assigned by the user
eg.
all pygmy sundews
all red flowered species
all CP's found in a specified geographical region
all CP's from a specified source
etc.
The system comes complete with on-line help which includes basic information
for those not familiar with botany, Latin naming, conservation, etc.. I could
easily modify the application at some time to include or to allow the user to
include WWW links so as to connect to wonderful data sources such as Barry's
CP pages (no this is not crawling, I just revisited Barry's pages and found
the layout new to me and much improved on what was already a great site - nice
one Barry and those closely linked).
This is only a brief description so as not to annoy those disinterested.
So what next? Well here's an offer, spread over several paragraphs that
follow!
I need to test the software fairly soon. The test needs to be conducted from
two points of view; first to check it actually handles the data correctly and
second to see that it meets other people's' needs, not just mine!!!
Geographical location of the testers is not a problem as long as they can
receive snail mail (who can't!). (t may be possible to send software via the
Internet.
I will not pretend that this is a free offer to everyone. The software will
be for sale. However, I will offer it free to a limited number of testers (to
be selected by me - see below) provided they perform adequate testing in good
time and give useful feedback according to instructions.
As to the eventual sale, it goes as follows.
The primary offer will be to Plant Societies. They will be invited to sell
the software and they may pass on the discounted price to members, or
subsidise the Society by taking a profit, or combine both to give members a
partial saving while part subsidising the society. Meanwhile, profits from
the sale will partly cover onward support and development of the software.
Some will also be directed into Conservation projects such as work which is
currently taking place overseas to set up CP conservation areas (no I am not a
direct part of this though I know those involved).
I know that many members of the Web/Internet feel all aspects of life should
be free. But I've put many hours of my private time into this and feel it is
not unreasonable to think about charging a moderate (normal market) price for
my efforts. I know from experience and from searching the existing software
that others have found it difficult to find a solution that works, meets the
collectors needs and is easy to use. My solution (albet so far in development
and testing) has so far met with the approval and has the support of the
National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens.
I would like to receive mail from any member of any CP society that feels this
software would be of interest. Mails should be in English or Spanish. The
mails should specifically comment on any aspect of the software, such as
- whether the writer is interested in software of this type
- what (s)he needs it to be able to do
- price
-etc.
Anyone seriously interested in testing the software should indicate this,
stating why and saying why they would be a good choice of tester. This will
not be a clever way to get free software as all software will be licensed.
Actual testers selected will get a free copy if they want it.
Please do not send rude letters demanding software be free!
I would also greatly appreciate contact with a member of the ICPS committee to
discuss if the software could be sold through the society to mutual benefit.
If so, the same or similar benefits could also be supplied to other CP
societies and I'm happy to hear from them as well (via a committee member).
The benefits a Society could gain for itself and/or its members are as yet
open to negotiation as no prices or discounts have been decided on.
And by the way, in case anyone wonders, in a ddition to be a B.Sc. Hons, I',m
also a qualified and experienced Systems Analyst, Systems Designer and
Programmer. The current version of the software is wriiten in Visual Basic
v4. It runs on any IBM compatible PC running Windows 3.1 or newer.
That's enough for now. Apologies to those who abhore all talk of $$$ but the
actual content is truly aimed at helping record/document collections in a
serious and scientific manner.
Again, a reminder to please reply sto this specific mail by mailing me
directly at
PTemple001@aol.com
For anyone going to the ICPN Conference in Germany, I'll be the one at Hotel
Krug or in the conference wearing short VERY red hair (and glasses - but
they're gold rimmed, not red!).
Regards
Paul
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