Discussion List Archives

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: World Database of Crystallographers: New Specification

Brian McMahon wrote:
> 
> A working draft of a functional specification for the re-engineered World
> Database has been posted at http://www.iucr.org/~bm/wdc/newspec.html
> 
As General Editor I approve the general scheme which seems very
ambitious. I also fully agree with the comments of our chair.

>From the operational point of view I have some fears.

- The maintenance of WDC_INSTITUTION might be delicate. It has to be
prepared in advance so that people who register ust have to make a
choice. How to make this. In large cities I am sure that it might be
very difficult to establish the list.

What happens if an institution is not recorded? If we let the person 
add a new institution how do we know that the description is correct. I
do not see anybody taking the responsibility to approve the fact that a
given person is really affiliated to the institution. Finally an
institution may appear many times under slightly different appellations.
It means that corrections should be manually made by the GE or Chester
staff.

- WDC_INSTITUTION may be maintained more easily. However it means that
some societies will be rejected as unknown from us. Adding an approval
from a responsible person will work if this person is willing to act.

All together a full record seems to depend on the good will of a number
of persons. We will have to be very lean and accept uncompleted forms.


With best regards, merry Xmas and my best wishes for the new year.

Yves
-- 
 Professor Yves EPELBOIN                                          
 E-mail: Yves.Epelboin@lmcp.jussieu.fr -
http://www.lmcp.jussieu.fr/~epelboin
      LMCP, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris VI
      Case  115 -- 4, place Jussieu --  F-75252 Paris Cedex 05
      phone: (00 33)  01 44 27 52 11   --   fax: (00 33) 01 44 27 37 85

Reply to: [list | sender only]
International Union of Crystallography

Scientific Union Member of the International Science Council (admitted 1947). Member of CODATA, the ISC Committee on Data. Partner with UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in the International Year of Crystallography 2014.

International Science Council Scientific Freedom Policy

The IUCr observes the basic policy of non-discrimination and affirms the right and freedom of scientists to associate in international scientific activity without regard to such factors as ethnic origin, religion, citizenship, language, political stance, gender, sex or age, in accordance with the Statutes of the International Council for Science.

Useful links