Re: REF: Online verses Print

My original post was to discern whether online is a real threat to print. I know that many people like myself would like to have both. As Harold pointed out the problem lies in whether something that is available online can muster the numbers of people necessary to keep the print publishing within a reasonable cost. 

 

I guess I wonder how many people would use an online document but if it were not available would buy a printed version. Some people would never purchase a printed version and seem people would want both. The real question lies in those who would have purchased the printed matter but defer because it is now online. 

 

Since I am a very strong proponent of the creation and use of registration lists in order to eliminate misidentification, I would like to think that in at least this special case the information would be available to as many people as possible. In some ways it is even more important that people who are not specialists in Iris be able to check on names of plants being offered in the trade. As yet the average gardener would find it difficult to use any international registries to check the validity of his plants names. I dont think a google search would provide an easy check on any of the international registries. AIS seems to be ahead of many international registrars. Most do not have any computer access. While Harold may be impatient with the Iris society, I suspect much of the delay in having it all is just the enormity of the project. We should be thankful for what we do have and that it is continually improving.

 

For my part I have been working to improve the information that is available within the registration lists. It is beyond my humble efforts to affect the official registry but I have been promoting the idea of sectional checklists with increased information. I have been promoting the idea that each section have a recorder who would solicit this extra information from the hybridizer near the time of registration. The recorders would ask for photos, details on purple based foliage, branching, and other characters that are not presently covered in the official registry. Within the Median Society alone we hope to eventually produce four illustrated checklists, one for each of the median classes. This type of enhanced information would be overwhelming for the official AIS registrar who must deal with all iris and usually over a 1,000 a year. But by dividing the work among each section it becomes a possible task and also provides extra value to members of the section. Each section will
 undoubtedly decide whether to give it all away on line or offer only printed versions, or both. But it is valuable for the discussion to take place.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE IRIS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index