[tdwg-content] Darwin Core review

Thu May 7 21:11:58 CEST 2009

Hi everyone,

As Marküs informed me last time, I should post all my Darwin Core
remarks on this list.
Most of my remarks are about missing information in the complete
historical record (see below), except the following:

1. Great work!! I haven't had time to read the full documentation yet,
but I'm very glad everything is so well documented now. It answers a
lot of questions and it will greatly facilitate the adoption of the
standard. Over the last 2 years I have given several presentations
about Darwin Core to data publishers, but with all the current
improvements, it will be a blast to do this! Especially the use of
classes (instead of core and extentions) makes it much easier to grasp
conceptually.

2. Is Darwin Core now officially in public review? Will we receive an
invitation email to review (which I could forward)?

3. What is the reasoning behind changing all the term names from
UpperCamelCase to lowerCamelCase?

4. HABITAT
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/index.htm#habitat
> I don't think I agree the best practice for this term is to use a controlled vocabulary. This field can contain plenty of text information that may be lost if one switches to a controlled vocabulary.

5. GEODETICDATUM
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/index.htm#geodeticDatum
> So you need to use the same geodetic datum for the verbatim coordinates as for the decimal lat & long?

6. PREVIOUSIDENTIFICATIONS
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#previousIdentifications-2009-04-24
> Under the current definition (and examples) of previousIdentifications, this list can include person names and dates. This is significantly different from the previous definition: "A list (concatenated and separated) of previous ScientificNames to which the sample was identified". In my opinion this old definition should be kept in the complete historical record, with a "replaced by" link.

------------ MISSING/INCORRECT INFORMATION ------------

1. The following historical classes cannot be found (anymore) in the
complete historical record. If added, they should have a "replaced by"
link and the new term should have a "replaces link" (except if new
term is part of Dublin Core).

> Sample (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#Occurrence-2009-04-24)
> SamplingEvent (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#Event-2008-11-19)
> SamplingLocation (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#Location-2009-04-24)
> SampleAttribute (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#MeasurementOrFact-2009-04-24)
> EventAttribute (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#MeasurementOrFact-2009-04-24)
> AccessConstraints (now http://dublincore.org/documents/dcmi-terms/#terms-accessRights)
> Generalizations (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#dataGeneralizations-2009-04-24)
> SampleRemarks (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#occurrenceRemarks-2009-04-24)
> SamplingEventID (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#eventID-2009-04-24)
> SamplingEventRemarks (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#eventRemarks-2009-04-24)
> SamplingEventAttributes (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#dynamicProperties-2009-04-24)
> SamplingLocationID (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#locationID-2009-04-24)
> SamplingLocationRemarks (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#locationRemarks-2009-04-24)
> SamplingAttributeID and EventAttributeID (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#measurementID-2009-04-24)
> SamplingAttributeType and EventAttributeType (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#measurementType-2009-04-24)
> SamplingAttributeValue and EventAttributeValue (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#measurementValue-2009-04-24)
> SamplingAttributeAccuracy and EventAttributeAccuracy (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#measurementAccuracy-2009-04-24)
> SamplingAttributeUnit and EventAttributeUnit (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#measurementUnit-2009-04-24)
> SamplingAttributeDeterminedDate and EventAttributeDeterminedDate (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#measurementDeterminedDate-2009-04-24)
> SamplingAttributeDeterminedBy and EventAttributeDeterminedBy (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#measurementDeterminedBy-2009-04-24)
> SamplingAttributeRemarks and EventAttributeRemarks (now http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#measurementRemarks-2009-04-24)

2. There are plenty of missing discussion pages on the Google Code
website. See attachment for full list.

3. See remarks per term.

OCCURENCE
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/index.htm#Occurrence
> Details links to 2008-11-19, not to the more recent 2009-04-24.
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#Occurrence-2009-04-24
> Date modified: 2008-11-19?
> No "replaces" link to 2008-11-19
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#Occurrence-2008-11-19
> Date modified: 2008-04-24?
> Status: recommended?
> No "replaced by" link to 2008-04-24
-----
LOCATION
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#Location-2009-04-24
> Status: recommended?
> No "replaced by" link to dcterms:Location
-----
TAXON
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/index.htm#Taxon
> Details link to 2008-11-19, not to the more recent 2009-01-23.
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#Taxon-2008-11-19
> No "replaced by" link to 2009-01-23
> Status: recommended?
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#Taxon-2009-01-23
> No "replaces" link to 2008-11-19
-----
INFORMATIONWITHHELD
Some of the examples in
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/index.htm#informationWithheld are better
placed in
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/index.htm#dataGeneralizations
-----
RELATEDINFORMATION
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#RelatedInformation-2007-04-17
> No "replaces" link to http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#RecordURL-2005-07-10
-----
CONDITION
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/index.htm#reproductiveCondition
> The reproductive condition of the biological individual(s): should include plural?
-----
BEHAVIOR
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#behavior-2009-04-24
> The decision (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/decisions/index.htm#Decision-2009-03-06_1) mentions SamplingEvent and Sample, two now historical classes.
-----
CATALOGNUMBERNUMERIC
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#CatalogNumberNumeric-2003-06-17
Is now historical, but there is no "replaced by" link (probably to:
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#otherCatalogNumbers-2009-04-24)
-----
EVENTDATE
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#eventDate-2009-04-24
> Split the replaces link in two: EarliestDateCollected & LatestDateCollected
-----
EVENTTIME
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#eventTime-2009-04-24
> Split the replaces link in two: StartTimeOfDay & EndTimeOfDay
-----
BINOMIAL
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#binomial-2008-11-19
> Is not used in the DwC terms, but has the status: recommended.
-----
RELATEDRESOURCETYPE
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#relatedResourceType-2009-04-24
> Is not used in the DwC terms, but has the status: recommended.
-----
RELATEDBASISOFRECORD
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/history/index.htm#RelatedBasisOfRecord-2008-11-19
> Is not used in the DwC terms, but has the status: recommended.

Regards,

Peter

-- 
Peter Desmet
Biodiversity Informatics Manager / Directeur de l'informatique de la
biodiversité
Montréal Biodiversity Centre / Centre sur la biodiversité de Montréal
Canadensys - www.canadensys.net

Institut de recherche en biologie végétale
Université de Montréal
4101 Rue Sherbrooke Est
Montréal, Québec, H1X2B2
Canada

Télé / Phone: 514-872-5249
Télécopie / Fax: 514-872-9406
Email: peter.desmet.cubc at gmail.com
-------------- next part --------------
Missing discussion pages:

http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/Occurrence
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/Event
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/Location
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/MeasurementOrFact
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/modified
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/language
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/rights
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/rightsHolder
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/accessRights
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/bibliographicCitation
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/informationWithheld
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/dataGeneralizations
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/dynamicProperties
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/datasetID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/occurrenceID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/institutionCode
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/collectionCode
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/collectionID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/occurrenceDetails
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/occurrenceRemarks
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/catalogNumber
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/individualID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/individualCount
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/lifeStage
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/reproductiveCondition
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/behavior
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/establishmentMeans
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/preparations
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/disposition
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/otherCatalogNumbers
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/associatedMedia
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/associatedReferences
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/associatedOccurrences
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/associatedSequences
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/associatedTaxa
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/eventID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/samplingProtocol
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/verbatimEventDate
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/eventDate
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/eventTime
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/startDayOfYear
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/endDayOfYear
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/year
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/month
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/day
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/habitat
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/recordedBy
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/recordNumber
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/fieldNumber
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/fieldNotes
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/eventRemarks
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/locationID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/higherGeographyID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/higherGeography
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/continent
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/waterBody
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/islandGroup
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/island
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/country
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/countryCode
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/stateProvince
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/county
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/locality
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/verbatimLocality
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/verbatimElevation
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/minimumElevationInMeters
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/maximumElevationInMeters
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/verbatimDepth
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/minimumDepthInMeters
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/maximumDepthInMeters
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/minimumDistanceAboveSurfaceInMeters
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/maximumDistanceAboveSurfaceInMeters
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/decimalLatitude
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/decimalLongitude
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/coordinateUncertaintyInMeters
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/coordinatePrecision
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/pointRadiusSpatialFit
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/verbatimCoordinates
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/verbatimLatitude
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/verbatimLongitude
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/georeferencedBy
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/georeferenceSources
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/georeferenceRemarks
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/footprintWKT
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/footprintSpatialFit
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/locationRemarks
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/identificationID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/identifiedBy
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/dateIdentified
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/identificationReferences
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/identificationRemarks
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/previousIdentifications
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/identificationQualifier
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/taxonNameID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/higherTaxonNameID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/scientificName
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/higherTaxonName
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/taxonConceptID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/higherTaxonConceptID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/kingdom
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/phylum
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/class
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/order
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/family
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/genus
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/subgenus
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/specificEpithet
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/infraspecificEpithet
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/scientificNameAuthorship
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/taxonAccordingTo
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/namePublishedIn
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/nomenclaturalStatus
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/acceptedTaxonNameID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/acceptedTaxonName
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/basionymID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/basionym
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/taxonRemarks
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/resourceRelationshipID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/resourceID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/relatedResourceID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/relationshipOfResource
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/relationshipAccordingTo
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/relationshipEstablishedDate
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/relationshipRemarks
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/measurementID
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/measurementType
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/measurementValue
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/measurementAccuracy
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/measurementUnit
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/measurementDeterminedDate
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/measurementDeterminedBy
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/measurementMethod
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/measurementRemarks