Scratchpads are intended to foster the development of communities working toward a common goal of creating and sharing data about biological organisms on the web. They do this through a Content Management System (Drupal) that has been customised to the needs of biological taxonomists by members of the European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy (EDIT), based at the Natural History Museum in London. As the sites grow, EDIT will plug-in additional tools and services (modules) that add Scratchpad functions (see the forum thread 'wish list'). Sites are mounted at a web address of the users choice that EDIT will purchase on behalf of the site's user community. EDIT also provides backup, support and manages the hardware, leaving users free to worry about what is important – the sites content!
Each site allows users to compose and present web site content such as articles, photos, literature, and other content types. Rather than forcing users to specify a fixed, pre-declared arrangement of content, the Content Management System takes care of the details of how information is arranged and presented. Most content, like text and images, is stored in a database that users handle by filling in forms via a web browser. When visitors view a page, the system gets the relevant bits of content from the database and composes all of the components of the page in a template. This makes it easy to quickly add or change content, without requiring the users to know how to create web pages. A moderator who takes ultimate responsibility for the site's content will run each of the template sites. The moderator assigns new users with different roles that give users access to different features, such as the ability to configure, contribute or edit the site, and access to the site's private areas. The Content Management System is designed to make this relatively easy and very little technical knowledge is assumed.
What can the scratchpads do?
To get a better idea of how the scratchpads can be used and configured, take a look at some of the scratchpad sites already being served from Natural History Museum, Servers:
Milichiid flies (www.milichiidae.info)
Fungus Gnats (www.sciaroidea.info)
We have a several more sites that will come on line soon. These include communities of researchers working on Costa Rican invertebrates, parasitic lice (www.phthiraptera.org), dung beetles, corals and weevils.
What can the scratchpad sites not do?
Web content served by modules dedicated to a particular kind of data is highly structured and can be reused throughout the site and even in other websites. At present modules with this kind of functionality support taxonomic images, literature, documents, forum comments and blog entries. Other types of data, such as that associated with specimens, collections, DNA, and taxonomic keys are not stored in a highly structured way. These data can be incorporated “free form” on any page on the site, but will not benefit from the advantages of using a purposed built module. In time we hope to build such modules to accommodate these types of data, but the decision to do this rests with those running the EDIT project. See our “long term plans” for more information.
What are the Scratchpads conditions of use?
We have developed single page “conditions of use” document that outlines the conditions through which we are offering these scratchpads. All users contributing the site must accept these conditions of use.
How do I get one?
The Scratchpads will be formally be launched at an EDIT workshop at the Natural History Museum, London, in April 2007. By that time will have in place a sign-up form where you can make your site request. This sign-up form will be connected to this website in due course. The site will be managed by a single, named individual on behalf of a community. You will need to give us a brief statement of scope (e.g. a taxonomic group or a geographical area) and a mission statement that outlines your intentions for the site.
What are the long term plans for these Scratchpad sites?
The Natural History Museum has given a commitment to maintain the server space for these community sites in perpetuity so long as it is reasonable practical for them to do so. With regard to the Scratchpad templates' long-term development, this will be subject to a review by our colleagues working on EDIT work package 5 at the Free University of Berlin. The functionality of these sites will be retained, but the final delivery platform for these data may change. Subject to the outcome of this review, the development priorities for those involved in the project at the Natural History Museum are as follows:
Scratchpads will be formally launched at the in London.
