> Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2013 18:01:13 -0800 > From: Alan Winston <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Callers] Fw: Creating a CDSS dance depository > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > On 12/11/2013 5:35 PM, Chris Lahey wrote: >> You're absolutely right that something like that could go up fairly >> quickly. I'm just afraid that it would take away from the possibility >> of something much more useful, though harder to obtain. I don't think >> it's forking the discussion to discuss whether this is a good idea. > Fair enough. > > I've witnessed a number of volunteer web things things that never got > off the ground at all because the requirements snowballed to the point > where it would be really hard to get started. I've now come around to > the position that sometimes, given limited time and resources, and when > one isn't working on life-critical projects, it's worth figuring out > what the minimum effort to do something useful would be, with the idea > that once something is useful it will be easier to find more resources, > and if you get bogged down you've at least got something useful. > > So that's my bias in this discussion. > > -- Alan
Good point Alan. It would be worth asking CDSS whether they are interested in officially supporting this effort in some way, perhaps even with resources - an intern?? Also it is worth thinking about the purpose of this database. I see two different distinctly different important ones: - one is to provide a comprehensive historical archive of dances. - the other is to provide good information to new callers to help them become better callers. I believe that Contra Dancing is going to get to be more popular and as a result there is going to be the need for more callers. A good database with demos, notations, etc. would help. Compatibility with Caller's Companion would be valuable for this purpose.
