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[sdpd] Open crystallographic database - a role for whom?
Hello,
> When crystallographers will be tired to buy all these fragmented
databases,
> maybe they will do something. A role for IUCr ? If not, a role for whom ?
Well, imagine, one of the database 'not-for-profit' organizations would
start to 'accumulate' other (complementary) databases. The result would be a
monopole and the situation would become worse.
But what if crystallographers work together to establish a public domain
database with all relevant crystallographic data? This would not only
overcome the current situation with 'fragmented' databases, it would also
prevent for becoming dependent from monopolists.
What would be needed?
1. A small team of engaged scientists with some experience in database and
software design to coordinate the project.
2. The authors (i.e. the scientific community = YOU) who provides the
project with database entries (note, that if you have'nt sold your
experimental results exclusively, you are free to distribute the data to
such a database, even if they have already been part of a publication - and
a lot of good data have never been published).
3. Free software a) for maintaining the database, b) for data evaluation and
calculation of derived data (e.g. calculated powder pattern from crystal
structures for search-match purposes), c) for browsing and retrieval
We are not in the same situation as decades before when the well-known
databases (ICSD, CSD, PDF) started. Today we have the Internet, fast
computers, and a big pool of free available software. The question is: Do we
have enough scientists who are willing to cooperate?
Looking forward to your comments
Best wishes
Michael
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Dr. Michael BERNDT
Crystal Impact GbR
Postfach 1251
D-53002 Bonn
Germany
Phone: +49 - 228 - 9813643
Fax: +49 - 228 - 9813644
Email: berndt...@crystalimpact.com
http://www.crystalimpact.com
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