As a result of the PreStrawMan work, a prototype XML schema document was developed and presented at the Edinburgh SEEK/National eScience Institute meeting on May 12th 2004. This schema attempted to represent an abstract model encompassing any data provider's representation of a Taxon Concept, and provide a specification allowing the exchange of information about taxonomic concepts between data providers and users. The protoype schema and documentation is provided (below). Discussion of various issues arriving from the StrawMan raised during the Edinburgh meeting and subsequently via this WIKI site are also detaled here.
Schema file v0.50
Will display in any XML viewer such as InternetExplorer, but best viewed with XML editing software such as
XMLSpy. (Note: in the absence of good (expensive) software the XMLSpy-formatted Documentation is the most accessible representation of the schema.)
Include file ABCDNameTypes.xsd
An XSD schema fragment derived from the
TDWG ABCD schema, reproducing a standard representation of scientific names.
of the conventions and terminology used in the design, together with the XMLSpy-formatted HTML Documentation of the schema.
Links to various discussion points, initially mainly populated from issues arising at the May 2004 meeting in Edinburgh, but other issues have been added as required. Discussion regarding the DraftStandard version 0.70 should be recorded elsewhere.
website and notes from meeting
Page maintained to hold the current position regarding the issues associated with the Taxon Concept Transfer Schema. Stating our views on discussion items and referencing the relevant discussions/emails and justifing why we currently think the way we do - this is of course likely to change if we are convinced by other arguments.
More general discussion of the design and user issues surrounding the development of a globally acceptable exchange schema for Taxon Concepts.