Re: Re: wikiup for our photo data base (was Bulletin)
iris@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Re: wikiup for our photo data base (was Bulletin)
  • From: R* P* <r*@embarqmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 4 Dec 2009 22:00:26 -0500 (EST)
I had several requests for more information concerning the Iris wiki, an
online Iris encyclopedia that will be available hopefully by spring on the AIS
website. And I will try to answer multiple e-mails with this post.

First the people who I am training and working with to create this site are
called docents. At present docents are helping to put together the bones of
the site. By that I mean they must be able to enter data in a set way so that
the basis of this incredibly searchable database will work at its optimum
capacity. The same or other docents must be able to upload pictures in
specified way so that people viewing the data base will find what they are
looking for quickly even if they are on dial-up. These are two very simple
tasks but require some discipline to a set format. For those familiar with
Davebs  Garden. and/or the Wikipedia, be assured this combines the best of
each site and as it becomes fully functional will surpass either for quality
and quantity of Iris information and for ease of use.. Once we have passed the
barn raising phase that we are in at present docents will help to maintain the
integrity of the site, help edit material, and help users with their
additions. Docents may also be a resource of information depending on their
interests.

To explain more concretely, ultimately all 80,000 cultivars the entire AIS
checklist database will be represented. Each cultivar will have its own page
and on that page up to 20 pictures can be added. Also each page will have a
comment box for adding additional information about the cultivar. For example
bloom times and rebloom times could be added for scores of localities around
the world for any particular cultivar.

We have a chicken and egg problem. If we have a cultivar page without a
picture people will be disappointed. But a picture can not be uploaded without
a pre-existing page. The challenge is to create mostly pages for which we can
add a picture immediately. Once a respectable page with picture is created all
sorts of information and additional pictures may be added. The data that is
there can be searched in almost every conceivable way. But at present the
challenge is to get into place enough of the basic structure, (individual
pages) so that it can begin to be useful. Davesb Garden claims to have 8,000
Iris entries right now. I hope that we will have that many by Spring. But
obviously that can only be accomplished with a large number of docents.  If
you are willing to follow some simple instructions and help with the heavy
lifting of cutting, pasting and editing I would be happy to have you as a
docent. I can provide materials that will make the task easy.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Mann" <lmann@lock-net.com>
To: iris@hort.net
Sent: Friday, December 4, 2009 11:39:03 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [iris] Re: wikiup for our photo data base (was Bulletin)

I had to look up docent.  Sounds like these are volunteer teachers?  So
are the docents going to teach the photo contributers, or something else?

<I am training docents one at a time and hopefully by end of January I
will have about 100>

Linda Mann
east TN

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