The new version of the Structured Descriptive Data schema (SDD 1.0 beta 2) is released and documented (... partially, primer and some manual documents still need updating) on:

http://160.45.63.11/Projects/TDWG- SDD/Minutes/2004NZ_schema/DocuOverview.html

We hope to get some feedback until the TDWG meeting in New Zealand in autumn. Please feel free to use the WIKIs (linked from page above) at your convenience to start discussions - no need to ask permission for new topics. It would perhaps be useful if as many people as possible could look at the minimal example file for coded descriptions, http://160.45.63.11/Projects/TDWG-SDD/Minutes/2004NZ_schema/SDD-Test- Min1.xml.

Aside: For a long time I was very reluctant to ignore the depth of the topic in favor of creating something that would only replace basic DELTA/Lucid/Nexus but not provide for at least part of the requirements that have already been identified by DeltaAccess and the DELTA 2 proposal.

However, I now believe that the proposed structures are able to deal with these requirements. This to me means that the basic structures are hopefully ok, and I see no problems in accepting proposals to leave aways some parts of the schema in version 1.0, with a perspective to add them later on - perhaps after more experience has been gained with the schema. We would need proposals and discussions to guide us in what should have 1.0 priority and what not, however.

Thanks!

Gregor ---------------------------------------------------------- Gregor Hagedorn (G.Hagedorn@bba.de) Institute for Plant Virology, Microbiology, and Biosafety Federal Research Center for Agriculture and Forestry (BBA) Koenigin-Luise-Str. 19 Tel: +49-30-8304-2220 14195 Berlin, Germany Fax: +49-30-8304-2203

Often wrong but never in doubt!