[Geysers] FW: Time code

[Tara Cross]

I will begin by once again thanking Will and Jake for the tremendous effort they have put into GeyserTimes and say that I support the continuation of those efforts because I believe that GeyserTimes is an important database and communication tool.  I have been and will continue to use it myself for the purpose of sharing information and collocating data where others can find and use it.

I admit that I have not followed every word of every post on time codes, particularly not all the comments from the surveys.  But I have two chief concerns.  One is that even if a new time code is added, there is still no way for me to enter a TIME of any sort for the eruption of Giant that was inferred because the signs were washed sometime between December 14 and December 20, 2007.  It is very likely that an eruption occurred, but it is also impossible to assume or approximate a time for such an eruption, whether it has an "A" code or not.  There is just no way to do it without being completely arbitrary, which renders the data meaningless.







My second concern is that it is neither practical nor advisable to try to make data which has its own context and format fit into a different context and format by changing it.  I agree with Jeff Cross that if the system is designed to make the computer happy, the original data will be compromised.  In archival speak, there is the question of provenance, which is the historical context that is maintained by keeping records of different origins separate.  GeyserTimes has its own provenance that is separate from that of the OFVC logbooks or someone's personal logbooks.  Mixing everything together has its uses, but the integrity of the logbooks cannot be maintained on the same level in GeyserTimes.

I have two suggestions that may or may not be possible.  First, I would like to see all comments and notes included in the database.  These establish context for the data and are very useful and important.  Secondly, I believe that the only way you are going to be able to make a complete list of--for example--Giant eruptions is to be able to pull up both TIMES and NOTES at the same time.  That way, my note regarding the December 2007 eruption would appear along with the known times.  That doesn't help the computer calculate the interval, but it does help me when I am using GeyserTimes as a tool for sharing information.

--Tara Cross
fanandmortar at hotmail.com



 		 	   		   		 	   		  
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