[Bell Historians] Musical scales, bell register

[Mike Chester]

--- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "Bickerton, Roderic K \(SELEX\) 
\(UK\)" <roderic.bickerton at ...> wrote:
> As for the work load argument, that is piteous. Many people collect
> data. A system that allows direct input is needed. 
> There are many data bases that allow this, with deletions only allowed
> by a moderator and all data automatically attributed to  the person 
who
> supplies it.

I find your argument unconvincing.  A quick look at the amount of 
updating work John Baldwin has to do at the moment would show just how 
much time he has to spend on Dove as it is.  Adding yet more data to 
this degree would mean that this would grown enormously.  Splitting the 
job up will add in extra chances of inaccuracies and therefore the 
questions need to be asked, "Will John have the time", and, more 
importantly, "Will the collection and hosting of this information be 
cost effective in terms of both time and money?"

You are getting towards the stage of having a database that will need 
some paid for management, at a significant cost. Who will gain the 
benefit from it?  A proportion of this list and a few others, perhaps.  
Would they be prepared to pay for the data at a rate that covers the 
cost of maintaining it?  I doubt it very much. I remember someone at a 
meeting, Andrew Wilby IIRC, remarking on the cost of maintaining the 
National Organ Register that has a similarly large amount of detail. It 
was several thousand pounds per year.

Mike

Mike