I would just like to throw some support here towards the MIDAS initiative, since creating a better standard will without a doubt make the transfer of data much more straight forward.
Also, is there anyone from this group thinking of attending the CAAs or CAAUKs? That might be a good forum to address with concerns regarding data standards and compatibility issues. Recruit them to the cause, and it will start to filter through the rest of the community.
I would normally go, but living in the US these days, it seems a bit of an investment.
~~~~~~~~
Dr. Thomas L. Evans
MA, MPhil, MIFA
Research Fellow, Oxford Archaeology
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The views and opinions contained within this email are not necessarily those of Oxford Archaeology.
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Kieron Niven" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 23 January 2008 08:42:42 o'clock (GMT-0800) America/Los_Angeles
Subject: Re: digital data formats for the SMR
I'd just like to pick up on a few issues raised in recent emails, mainly in relation to MIDAS Heritage and MIDAS XML. It should be pointed out that MIDAS Heritage and the MIDAS XML schemas are products of FISH, the Forum on Information Standards in Heritage, and as such should be viewed as community products (OAD and EH produced - rather than developed -
these *for* FISH). FISH membership consists of - and is open to - a wide range of individuals from different parts of the heritage sector and, in addition to a lengthy consultation with the HER community at the outset, the recent second edition of MIDAS Heritage was open to public peer review. As a result we feel that MIDAS Heritage and the XML schemas, as products of the heritage community, *are* representative and fit for purpose.
Regarding the current availability of the MIDAS schemas, work at the CBA is currently under way and it is hoped that an updated version of the FISH Toolkit website previously hosted by OAD will be available soon. In the meantime, if anybody would like copies of the MIDAS XML schemas then feel free to email me off list.
As always, membership of FISH is open to all members of the heritage sector and contributions, either through our mailing lists or through attendance at our meetings, are welcomed.
http://www.fish-forum.info/
Best wishes,
Kieron Niven
FISH Convenor
*******************************
Kieron Niven
Curatorial Officer
Archaeology Data Service
University of York
King's Manor
York YO1 7EP http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/ Tel: 01904 433973 Fax: 01904 433939 Email: [log in to unmask] *******************************
Chris Webster said the following on 23/01/2008 14:04:
I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone in spotting the ASLEF / NMP catch 22! We're cutting and pasting from pdfs here - the GIS data is much less of a problem (once all the text records have been input).
Chris Webster
Somerset Historic Environment Record
Taunton Castle
Taunton
TA1 4AA
01823 424044
Online HER: www.somerset.gov.uk/heritage
-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [ mailto:[log in to unmask] ] On Behalf Of Lee White
Sent: 23 January 2008 10:06
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: RE digital data formats for the SMR
I agree with Chris that this is very timely. We too are thinking about ways we can get digital data (specifically GIS-related) imported directly from contractors into our GIS, in the hope of improving the coverage of data on the HER. A steer on the way forward would be useful to ensure that we are all more/less singing from the same hymn sheet.
Additionally we too have problems with data generated by the EH Aerial Photo Unit from national mapping data. The output is in a format which requires significant work by ourselves and our IT people to get it to almost fit into our database. The issue is one which EH must deal with directly, although there seems to be a huge reluctance to do so for some reason - god forbid that EH makes itself output data in a useable format for SMR/HER's! Yet anyone else being funded by EH through ALSF is required to ensure that data is compatable with the local SMR/HER...go figure?!
Lee
____________________________________________
Assistant Archaeology Officer
Libraries, Learning and Culture
Durham County Council Adult & Community Services
The Rivergreen Centre
Aykley Heads
Durham
DH1 5TS
0191- 370-8846 (T) 0191- 370-8897 (F)
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
On-line SMR: www.keystothepast.info
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