Re: [ARSCLIST] Was Registry of Digital Masters now, more about organization of information

[Don Cox <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 14/09/06, Mike Richter wrote:
> Karl Miller wrote:
>> On Wed, 13 Sep 2006, steven c wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>> Nevertheless, information which has not been enumerated and
>>> catalogued is for all practical purposes worthless. Imagine a
>>> dictionary in which the words were listed in random order!
>> 
>> 
>> Which brings up my point about cataloging. I believe that the
>> exponential growth of information is such that the creation of
>> information has completely outpaced our ability to catalog it,
>> especially when we rely so heavily on the outmoded Euclidean
>> linearity of systems like MARC.
> 
> Alla breve - this thread has joined many in this group in growing so 
> long and tangled that it has lost any trace of linearity.
> 
> 1. My first encyclopedia was "The Book of Knowledge". Its non-linear 
> design made it enjoyable to read, but over the centuries (okay, I'm 
> exaggerating) I've forgotten how it was indexed.
> 
> 2. In an article scheduled for publication in the next issue of "The
> Record Collector", I argue that no linear organization of a typical
> compilation of music is sufficient, that at best a multilinear
> arrangement is needed and that a version of each selection should be
> included *within* the catalogue. That is viable with CD-ROM, but
> typical formats (LP, tape, CD-DA) are inherently linear, hence
> incompatible with a catalogue.
> 
> 3. I am familiar with three approaches to linear catalogues of music,
> none of which is satisfying in general. Considering a composer's
> works, there are indexes by date of (initiation, completion,
> publication); by alphabetic order of the title - varying with language
> used; and by genre over which there are numerous debates (is Mavra an
> opera, a ballet, or something else?).
> 
> My contention is that at least multiple indexes be provided and that
> the catalogue include a representation of the work (low-fidelity
> audio, monochrome image, etc.) in order that the result have value to
> the more casual user.

All you are asking for is a relational database system, which is
standard everywhere.

It would be fairly easy to put such a database on a DVD (a CD might not
be big enough), with copies of a public domain database engine such as
MySQL for all the common platforms. It would be easier still to house it
on a server, with a web-based interface for adding entries and
searching.

"Mavra" can be marked as being both opera and ballet.

Regards
-- 
Don Cox
doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx