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One of the first activities of a taxonomist is to ascertain what has been published
previously about the organisms being studied. This commonly is presented in
the form of a checklist, ideally containing all the known
references to the organisms under study. One builds upon the efforts of others
and since this effort is almost universal, one can normally assemble a checklist
from other sources. Such a checklist is
properly called a secondary checklist, for the original references have not been
consulted. Thus errors by earlier authors are perpetuated. It is therefore
highly desirable that the checklist author verify the
original papers. My own efforts towards a checklist on chewing lice began in 1963, with each published article on chewing lice being entered on a card (3" x 5"), and each reference to a chewing louse being entered on a card of a different color. A third card, of yet another color, was prepared referencing the host on which the louse was reported. All three cards were cross referenced, and placed in separate file cabinets. These cards were soon replaced by "NCR" (National Cash Register) paper, which was carbonized papers in groups of three, each of a different color, and the data entered on the top sheet was imprinted on the other sheets. With the proper layout a single entry could then serve the purpose of the original cards which required three entries. There was an additional advantage in that the NCR paper was thin and many more records could be accommodated in a file drawer. Before long, these files had a total linear length of over 40 feet. Misfiling was to effectively loose the record. With the development of personal computers a more efficient method of record keeping became available. Compared with today's computers I began with incredibly crude, slow and inefficient computerized data management system. Before database engines became available, the "cards" were maintained on a word processor, then a spread sheet. The early databases were flat field (not relational) and had fixed field lengths. But the hardware and software moved rapidly and the powerful database engines of today provide almost unlimited flexibility. This flexibility results in almost every database being a very personal filing system and not one that is easily used by others. Most modern databases do permit third party searches, however, the results are always a reflection of the structure and conventions used in data entry. My database can generate HTML code which results in a display which can be made available to others on the Internet. The following data from my checklist are presented in conventional formats. These files are subject to constant revision and users are cautioned to check the date of the last "revision" which is displayed at the end of each file. Comments, additions and corrections are invited and greatly appreciated. Enter databases |