Now that Tom Webb's pollen database is publicly available, we can all pack away our microscopes and spend the rest of our time at our terminals. However, those who have used previous versions of this database know of the large number of questions that arise when you try to use it. Figuring out how to get the data we need from the Illinois group's PARADOX files and dealing with the numerous problems and errors that are surely in the database could take up several years of our lives. Similarly, users of noncommercial software like TILIA can be frequently frustrated when it does not do what (we think) it should, and Eric or John are out of town or not answering their electronic mail.
One way to exchange information quickly is a "pollen data-handling" bulletin board on the Internet. In such a bulletin board, we could contact each other to get answers to problems with the various software that we all use. It is a quick way to get details of data in the file, questions to the person who did the study about possible errors in the file, questions about supplemental information that might be missing, etc. It could be a place for more general information exchange - including new laboratory techniques, coring techniques, new papers we have published. In short, the kind of information included in this newsletter, but that could arrive in your office every day.
When Lou and I talked about this last spring, I contacted Henri Grissamo-Meyer, who is the person running a tree-ring bulletin board on a day-to-day basis. He sent me a long description of how a bulletin board operates, and seems quite willing to help in the establishment of a palyno board. The "listserver" software to do this is widely available, and is supposedly documented at every University.
The problem is that I do not have the time to manage it, and I suspect that many others do not either. It does take an hour or two each week. Is anyone interested in doing this? If so, I can send along Henri's message, or pass on his coordinates. He has suggested that it is a nice job for a graduate student, as it is a way quickly to know everyone in the business. Presumably, it should be run from a larger permanent lab or research institute to ensure some long-term continuity. Anyone interested?