[Bell Historians] The ongoing evolution of Dove online

[Richard Smith]

Richard Johnston wrote:

> Dove was only retaining current information, so when a 
> recasting happened the info about the former installation 
> was simply dropped, and as I was led to understand, not 
> even retained as archive copies.

You're basically correct.  There is some provision in the 
current system for storing details of old rings in the new 
system, but it's really only suited to when a ring has been 
replaced in toto, or has been lost, and it does not happen 
automatically.  Details such as weights before tuning are 
not stored.

> Whatever else happens, it must keep archive material.

Yes.  The new system is a complete redesign and rewrite from 
the ground up which will move Dove to use a modern 
relational database.  One of the design criteria was to give 
it a full version system and audit log.  Details of every 
change is recorded, however minor, and will be accessible to 
the Dove Stewards who will also be able to view the details 
of a tower as it was recorded in Dove at some past date (but 
since deployment).  In due course, I imagine some of that 
functionality will be made available to the public too.

RAS