UCMP database

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I've been informed that the UCMP ftp data model is not accessible by Mac
users.  I can't get it on mine either.  I'll see if we can post it some
other way.  Sorry.

Peter Rauch wrote RE: Borland support:

"I don't think that is what Jere meant. I suspect he meant that Paradox
and Interbase are supported by Borland. I would be extremely surprised
if Borland was supporting UCMP's data model(ling) and implementation."

That is correct.  They do help us on occasion with our specific modeling
problems, however.  But as a favor, I'm sure.

"But, it _was_ UCMP staff who designed the UCMP database, not Borland.
So, UCMP _does_ have the need and responsibiliity to design/maintain/
keep up/not_retire/not_die...."

Yes.  As would most anyone designing their own.  Another good reason to
team up and use the same models, as much as possible.  So we can mutually
help one another.  It cost us a hell of a lot of money too, in salaries,
software experiments, etc, and valuable time of a paleontologist.  Those,
as a museum manager, are my principal reasons to urge people not to do it
all over again.

"Nonetheless, Jere's admonition about much treading over common ground,
in both the design and implementation of biological information systems,
is probably valid, and every effort to share experience and results should
be made. There _is_ still more to learn however, so speak up. And, as
anyone watching Borland as an investor knows, companies' stocks go up and
down, and ceo sparkplugs light and dim."

Yes, except I'd leave out the probably, and hope that by cooperating on
these we all learn more faster.  I am not pushing our data model because it
might not work for anyone else, but if it could be used, then we've got 6
or 7 people around here that know a good deal about it and we're happy to
share.  If there had been a useable model, we would have used it when this
was done a couple of years ago, and spent the time writing papers.
Actually, we did adapt a lot of it from Stan Blum's SVP stuff, from ASC,
NSF meetings, and from Peter himself (who suggested Borland to us in the
first place), etc.  By we, I mean David Lindberg.

Others have already pointed out that companies are anxious to take over
useful software when other companies go under or their CEO's die.  I don't
worry about that.  I worry about money and time.

Jere