New version / call for contributions

[Gregor Hagedorn]

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 at 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!