Chris
Please excuse my cynicism, but I feel that every year there is yet another initiative/project/proposal... to build a file format registry/catalogue... so I've become quite jaded about this area .Most of these seem to try to start from scratch rather than fix/update the existing ones.
However, a genuine question, and I don't wish to poor cold water on something that is actually a good idea! but what properties does this one have that makes you think it is a better bet that the previous attempts?
Matthew
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Research Data Management discussion list [mailto:RESEARCH-
> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chris Rusbridge
> Sent: 05 November 2012 11:10
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Just solve the scientific data file format problem?
>
> Last week I wrote to try to get some of you involved in Jason Scott's "Let's
> solve the file format problem" effort this November. I don't think I had much
> success, so I'm trying again. Having started this, from my experiences so far
> pretty much anyone who aims to support research data management could
> benefit from some involvement. Let me try to explain...
>
> Since last week I have identified and listed around a hundred or so scientific
> data formats. I'm sure the list is nowhere near complete; I could do with
> heads-up on further formats, or further sources (I've used DataOne,
> Wikipedia and the Library of Congress so far). The list is at
> http://justsolve.archiveteam.org/index.php/Scientific_Data_formats.
>
> I've also researched a small number of formats and written them up based
> on a simple template. Here's an example of a format I didn't know anything
> about but found interesting:
> http://justsolve.archiveteam.org/index.php/EAS3. Last night I was
> researching sdf, and found at least 4 scientific data formats of that acronym,
> of which two were called Simple Data Format but are quite different. There's
> an older one that appears to be in a similar arena to EAS3, and a newer one
> from the Data Protocols Team involving CSV and JSON that looks particularly
> interesting. I'm not equipped to work out if the older one was used much; it
> may need someone much more connected with that particular world for
> that.
>
> What I've learned is that trying to find out about a data format teaches you
> something interesting, and in your case (if you are supporting data
> management) probably relevant to your work. I've also learned that no single
> source has a comprehensive set of information on scientific data formats.
> Maybe Wikipedia would be a better choice for them, but there are notability
> and other requirements on Wikipedia that the "Just Solve" effort doesn't
> have. Anyway, it's what we've got right now.
>
> I'd really like to persuade you to join in. It would be great if Simon Hodson
> asked everyone involved in JISCMRD to research at least one format, or if
> Kevin Ashley asked the same of each member of the DCC. Ditto for UKDA,
> BADC, etc etc. It would be even better if I managed to inspire a few of you to
> get involved off your own bat!
>
> You can register to make changes to the wiki, by sending a username and
> email address to [log in to unmask] Attached is the template I'm
> currently using, which basically is just asking for general and background
> information on the data format, software that processes it, sample files,
> identification information, and references. Please do join in and help.
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