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UFO UpDates Mailing List

From: UFO Joe Daniels <ufojoe@cron-2.mco.on.ca>
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 1997 02:22:30 -0500 (EST)
Fwd Date: Fri, 05 Dec 1997 12:15:41 -0500
Subject: Re: UFO Database interest


> > From: Steven Kaeser <steve@konsulting.com>
> > Date: Thu, 04 Dec 1997 14:01:17 -0500
> > Fwd Date: Thu, 04 Dec 1997 17:58:44 -0500
> > Subject: Re: UFO Database interest

> > >Date: Thu, 04 Dec 1997 08:45:55 -0600
> > >To: UFO UpDates - Toronto <updates@globalserve.net>
> > >From: joel henry <jhenry@wavefront.com>
> > >Subject: Re: UFO UpDate: Re: UFO Database interest

> > >>From: galevy@pipeline.com [Gary Alevy]
> > >>Date: Wed, 03 Dec 1997 23:10:39 -0500
> > >>To: UFO UpDates - Toronto <updates@globalserve.net>
> > >>Subject: Re: UFO Database interest NOT!

> > <snip>

> > I agree with your goal, but I don't think it is attainable.

I disagree. If enough people contribute a lot can be
accomplished.

> > You're making the assumption that all those who gather
> > information are interested in sharing it freely with others,
> > which I have found it not always the case.  Many researchers, who
> > make their living as a part of this genre, must sell their
> > material to make ends meet.  They are not likely to give it up
> > freely to a public database on the Internet, but for the sake of
> > your proposal, let's assume this isn't a problem.

This is the biggest problem. However there are other sources. I
have been assembling cases here in London, Ontario and have
collected a rather large collection for such a small city by
searaching local papers, Gov. Archive, etc.

> > As far as I've been able to determine, every researcher I've met
> > has had their own methodology in filing their material.  This

This is why I feel at text-based system would be best rather
than any "database" format. A pure text system would be flexable
enough to accomodate all formats as reports are typed in a they
appear. From the text files one can generate any type of index
or cross-referencing system one wants.

For example I have a site at: http://cron-2.mco.net/web/sight.html

Where sightings are stored as either HTML or Text and the index
into those sightings can be in any form. For this sight it's
broken down by area, they by date, but various indexes could be
generated for type of encounter, number of witnesses, or whatever
criteria, then as a fall-back measure one could search the
actual contents for key words with a "grep" search or a custom
program whatever language the platform supports.

> > There is still the problem of who will maintain (i.e. pay for and
> > service) the WEB server and the Internet bandwidth usage.  If

I'm sure several sites would be interested. I have a site and
I would be. And it should be mirrored at several sites to cut
down on volume and as security in case of crash. It could also
be broken down by various geographical areas so that servers
in a particular area are responsible for sightings for that
area.

> > We still haven't defined how much material is to be included in
> > this database.  Will it concentrate on one facet of the genre, or

I would say include all information, as it is hard to determine
now what a future investigator may need. For example in the early
years of UFOs, abductions reports were refused by most groups and
all that data may be lost forever.

> > appointed?  If not, then what is to prevent a creative
> > 11-year-old from writing up a good article as a prank and
> > submitting it for inclusion to the site.  If there is no check of
> > the material, it would likely be posted.  I will add that
> > accuracy of the data will not neccesarily increase with the
> > volumn of information included.  Accuracy is (in part) impacted
> > by the broad range of researchers and variations in their
> > investigative techniques.  What one researcher may regard as
> > highly accurate, the next may regard as sloppy.  This is, of
> > course, a personality based genre.

That would be the job of researchers and not those maintaining
the databases.

> > The goal of compiling information in one location for all to see
> > is admirable, and to a limited degree that has been underway for
> > a number of years.  There are several major efforts now underway
> > to gather infornation, but most of it is not destined for free
> > Internet access.  As I said, I admire your proposed goal.  But
> > let's not make this sound like a simple project, as (IMHO) it is
> > far more complicated than it may appear and will require
> > decisions that this genre has not previously been willing to
> > make.

It would be an invaluable tool and something that must be attempted
sooner or later unless we want this stuff relegated to people's
basements forever.

I'd be willing to help.

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