September 2006 - tdwg - lists.tdwg.org

Announce: Proposal for "microformat" for marking-up taxonomic names in HTML: comments and contributions sought
by Andy Mabbett 24 Sep '06

24 Sep '06

Hello - my first post to this mailing list. I'm not a taxonomist, but I've been told by one that you might be interested in recent proposals for a formula (a "microformat" <http://microformats.org>) for marking-up, in HTML, the names of species (and other ranks, varieties, hybrids, etc.). Microformats are a way of adding additional, simple markup to human-readable data items on web pages, using common and open HTML standards, so that the information can be extracted by software and indexed, searched for, saved, cross-referenced or aggregated. Microformats are also open standards, freely available for anyone to use. The proposed format respects all existing biological taxonomies, and is not intended to change or supplant any of them - it merely provides webmasters with a method of either: 1) marking-up a taxonomical name (or taxon-common name pair) in such a way that its components can be recognised by computers or 2) marking up a common name, so as to associative with it a taxonomical name, in such a way that the latter's components can be recognised by computers For instance, if I mark up a list of common names on a page I maintain: <http://www.westmidlandbirdclub.com/staffs/tittesworth/latest.htm> using that microformat, a visitor might have browser tool which lists all the species on the page, sorted into alphabetical order within taxonomic class, or in taxonomic order, and then creates links to, say (for Joe Public) their entries in Wikipedia, or the British Trust for Ornithology, or (for scientists) some academic database of the users choosing. Early thoughts on the format are on an editable "wiki", here: <http://microformats.org/wiki/species> Please feel free to participate - the proposal needs both messages of support (particularly from people or organisations who have websites on which they might use them) and, especially, comments and constructive criticisms - does the proposal understand and use taxonomy correctly; is the terminology right, are there any omissions or overlooked, unusual naming conventions? You can use the above wiki, or the microformats mailing list: <http://microformats.org/wiki/mailing-lists> and/ or please feel free to pass this e-mail to other interested parties. Thank you. -- Andy Mabbett Birmingham, England

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TDWG 2006: last chance to register without late registration penalty
by Adrian Rissone 12 Sep '06

12 Sep '06

Annual Meeting and Symposium of the Taxonomic Databases Working Group Missouri Botanical Garden 15 - 22 October 2006 http://tdwg2006.tdwg.org/ REGISTRATION AND HOTEL REDUCED RATES ENDING SOON Register now for TDWG 2006. 1. It's cheaper to register A late registration penalty fee of 50 $US will apply after 13 September 2006. 2. It's cheaper for a room at the Recommended Hotel The deadline for hotel discount is 13 September 2006. 3. We, the meeting Organisers, really do need to know NOW how many delegates to expect. It strains the relationship with our hosts (Missouri Botanical Garden) if we keep on reserve meeting rooms and facilities we don't need. If you register late it makes the local Organiser's job much more difficult arranging catering, transport and administration assistance. 4. We keep TDWGs standing costs down if we can plan early. Regards, Adrian Rissone Executive Secretary, TDWG Apologies to subscribers to whom this message is irrelevant and to delegates who have registered already. Unfortunately there is no way to send to a subset of the list.

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8 DAYS REMAINING: Taxonomic Databases Working Group (TDWG) Annual Meeting 2006
by Adrian Rissone 05 Sep '06

05 Sep '06

Annual Meeting and Symposium of the Taxonomic Databases Working Group Missouri Botanical Garden 15 - 22 October 2006 http://tdwg2006.tdwg.org/ SAVE $100! - BUT ONLY IN THE NEXT 8 DAYS REGISTRATION AND HOTEL REDUCED RATES ENDING SOON! Why should you register now for TDWG 2006? 1. It's cheaper to register! A late registration penalty fee of 50 $US will apply after 13 September 2006. 2. It's cheaper for a room at the Recommended Hotel The deadline for hotel discount is 13 September 2006. A number of registered delegates have indicated their intention to use the Recommended Hotel but have not yet made their hotel booking. Please do so as soon as possible. You MUST do so by 13 September to receive the discounted rate. You are not required to pay up front (but you must guarantee the booking with a credit card) and can cancel if necessary without penalty up to 15:00 local time on the day before you booked to arrive. The hotel booking URL is now being given on your Meeting registration confirmation e-mail. If you have an older version of the confirmation please contact me for the URL. 3. We, the meeting Organisers, really do need to know NOW how many delegates to expect. It strains the relationship with our hosts (Missouri Botanical Garden) if we keep on reserve meeting rooms and facilities we don't need. If you register late it makes the local Organiser's job 10 times more difficult arranging catering, transport and administration assistance. 4. If insufficient delegates register early for the Banquet we may have to cancel it completely - remember what a great social occasion it was in St. Petersburg? - it will be too bad if you are disappointed when you arrive in St. Louis because you did not book early enough. 5. We keep TDWGs standing costs down (and so YOUR membership & registration fees!) if we can plan early. What are you waiting for? Why not register TODAY? Questions? Ask me NOW. Please accept our apologies for cross-posting if you receive this message more than once. Regards, Adrian Rissone Executive Secretary You are receiving this message because you have registered for TDWG 2006, expressed interest in attending the Meeting, or have attended previous TDWG meetings. If you are receiving this message in error, or do not wish to be contacted in the future, please accept our apologies for intruding and send a request to be removed from future mailings to A.Rissone(a)nhm.ac.uk with Subject line "TDWG Direct Mail Removal Request".

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FINAL CALL: Taxonomic Databases Working Group (TDWG) Annual Meeting 2006 - Abstracts
by Adrian Rissone 01 Sep '06

01 Sep '06

This message contains FINAL time-critical information requiring immediate action. Please read it now. Annual Meeting and Symposium of the Taxonomic Databases Working Group Missouri Botanical Garden 15 - 22 October 2006 http://tdwg2006.tdwg.org/ ABSTRACTS FOR PRESENTATIONS - ** FINAL CALL ** The official deadline for Abstracts has been extended to 23:59 GMT on Saturday 2 September. THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER EXTENSION. PLEASE see the Abstracts Page for details and Instructions for Authors. Abstracts MUST be submitted in the required format. A number of abstracts have been received where the author has clearly not read the Instructions! In particular, please ensure the following: Be sure to state which Meeting Theme to which you think your Abstract is relevant. Be sure to suggest a Reviewer and their contact information. Be sure to add ALL co-authors with appropriate full details at the time of submitting the abstract into the system. If you wish to acknowledge a supporting agency, also add this as an acknowledgement in the Supporting Agency field when adding your abstract into the system. We have been asked why it is so important to submit abstracts correctly and why they will be peer reviewed. The reason is simple - the Abstracts will be published and correct presentation is seen as important in our current drive to make the TDWG a high profile, prestigious body. Please accept our apologies for cross-posting if you receive this message more than once. Regards, Adrian Rissone You are receiving this message because you have registered for TDWG 2006, expressed interest in attending the Meeting, or have attended previous TDWG meetings. If you are receiving this message in error, or do not wish to be contacted in the future, please accept our apologies for intruding and send a request to be removed from future mailings to A.Rissone(a)nhm.ac.uk with Subject line "TDWG Direct Mail Removal Request".

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