Spud - a broader definition of "survey data"?

[Michael Lake]

Julian Todd wrote:
> In my view the actual format that the survey data is archived is
> not of importance, just as long as it is digital and it is theoretically
> straightforward to get at the data or text.

I disagree. There is a difference between archiving data as
a backup in case of data loss over significant periods of
time and making data accessable so that people can easily
search, retrieve and organise it. The Sydney University
Speleological Society publishes all the raw data (Survex
format of course) in its SUSS Bulls as that way the data is
** ON PAPER ** and is archived. About several dozen
reciprocal organisations get the Bull and hundreds of
individuals and, as an aid to easy access, it is also
digitised and on the web.
The paper version will be readable in a hundred years time.

Digitising data means it can be searched and retrieved
easily WHILST YOU HAVE THE SOFTWARE/HARDWARE to read it.
I am sure some of you have 8 inch floppies at home? The Aust
Speleological Federation has its 1985 Karst Index Database
safely archived on tape reels :-) No one will get that
information in a hurry.

Skeptical Mike :-)

PS. I have just been managing the development of a web-based
open-source port of the ASF's entire Karst Index to the web.
Its up and running and uses mySQL and Perl. Access at
present is not availble but hopefully it will be avaailable
for guest login and viewing after it is released at our
National Conf. we are having in January. I have made it open
source in the hope that other caving groups/UIS will be able
to take what we have developed and implement it for their
country also.
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Michael Lake
University of Technology, Sydney
Email: mailto:Mike.Lake@uts.edu.au Ph: 02 9514 1724 Fx: 02
9514 1628 
URL: http://www.science.uts.edu.au/~michael-lake/
Linux enthusiast, active caver and interested in anything
technical.
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