On 27 apr 2007, at 06.37, Steven C. Barr(x) wrote:
> Actually, firstest (is that a word?) you have to decide exactly
> what data
> you wish to collect...that is, design your data tables (fields: names,
> sizes, formats, usw...) so that phonorecords are adequately (as you
> see it) documented!

Yes, that has been done. But, until one then a) tries to eat one's
own dog food with actual real life examples and b) let people who
know a lot about this stuff/have perhaps their own pet hates and
likes and their own peculiar way of doing things kick the tyres you
cannot really see that. That is what is being worked on presently.
It is then easier to add certain fields if demanded.

>
> You can go all the way from my VERY basic "wotinell do I have really?"
> data table, which lists label, number and a few remarks...to the
> Abrams
> Files, which are a set of 160-byte text-based data records...to an
> elaborate affair like my personal Access-based catalog database...!

I am a little concerned that this project will be a never ending
thing that grows like topsy and whilst some might want to know the
date a given track was taken out of publication some instead might
prefer to know the colour of the lavatory paper used by the lead
engineer at the reserve stamping plant in the non-primary market
marketplace. The "aim" will be to allow structured access and input
of the core and maybe (to some) not so core information but in a
regulated manner that provides greater data integrity and overall
archive quality information. Much "easier" yet harder than just
importing data sources from hither to tither.

But that is the grand plan. But first one has to get "baby" to crawl
before it can walk :)
>

> And, of course, what also logically would need to be inputted would
> be the content of as many discographic works (either print/paper
> based or digital) as possible...if only to avoid reinventing a
>
Yes, the key is to use secondary sourcing and attributation as well
as catalogue X might contradict internal record Y. But tying those up
might help others.

> One hopes you are...or know...a 100+ WPM typist...
I used to be pretty fast... :) The "joy" of this is, if it works how
I envisage, that people might build up little bits of information
from different sources as they check out things. I.e. you have put in
a track you have and maybe it is missing a picture (or you have a
better copy) so you can contribute that fix.

Darren