Minutus

Hi Luise & ALL listees,

I've taken some definite steps toward making the computer/web back-end of
this a reality today, and will be consulting with a web-designer shortly.
We will have access to professional web-design and high-speed internet
hosting, everything necessary to make the project fly, infrastructure-wise.

NOW would be the time to comment if anyone has any input prior to drafting
database specifications.

PLEASE comment, if you have any ideas which have not been addressed!

Some categories which may invite suggestion/discussion:

1. What "bits" of data will be important? (database design)
We've identified Location, number of cases responding to particular remedy,
a check-list of symptoms as well as a "write-in" box for non-listed symptoms

2. In order to preserve integrity of data, it will be necessary to allow
reporting only by individuals who have "joined" the project- how will
qualifications be addressed? Perhaps individuals unknown to other project
members would need to be briefly "checked out" as homeopaths prior to their
joining? We need to balance the need for large-scale worldwide data with the
need for Quality data which would be consistent with observations of a
homeopathically aware individual.

3. How will we attract members? Luise mentions word of mouth- always the
best promotion & we also came up with the idea of "press releases"
suitable for Internet-based and Print-based Homeopathy Journals & possibly
other "alternative health" publications/sites -what additional means can we
think of?

I think we will also include educational material on all Genus Epidemicus
remedies; perhaps we'll be able to get very experienced /well-known
homeopaths to contribute similar to Journal contributions.. this should help
every aspect of the project, including attracting participants.

tia for you input & participation !
Dave Hartley
new: www.localcomputermart.com/dave
Santa Cruz, CA (831)423-4284
mailto:dave@localcomputermart.com
Asheville Computer (N. Carolina) (828)285-0240

Hi Sue, (& All)

You've highlighted a critical point.
I'm expecting that we'll be able to design into the project two levels of
"quality assurance" for data.

First, we'll need to restrict "live" access to reporting data to project
members only- people will join the project after they've been approved
(according to some minimal standards which we ought to draft.. Ideas?) -and
then be able to log-in to the website to report.
At some point we should probably also be able to accept data from
non-members... I guess we could design this in from the start, and have an
indication in the database (a separate field, kind of like a separate column
in a table or spreadsheet) which would tell us which data were from members,
and which should be considered "unverified" -from non-members.. we could ask
non-members on the form for contact information, in case any
homeopath/member should wish to attempt to verify their information.. (and
of course, the invitation to join the project if the individual considers
themselves homeopathically knowledgeable and meets whatever approval
criteria are set.)

Second, we'll design the forms to elicit the information we need to make the
project work. I believe that by having such a distinct focus, we'll be able
to keep the data manageable and useful. Of course we'll be able to fairly
simply alter the data entry form to include new or previously unconsidered
symptoms, and we'll definitely have a "write-in" field which would help to
identify likely symptoms for inclusion.

In terms of the project overall; the database structure; the data entry
forms- by keeping it simple and on-topic, (sort of like this homeopathy list

we will be able to guarantee useful information.. PROVIDED that we have
sufficient data reporting.. which is where you come in- everyone on the
list who's interested.. both by reporting themselves, and by bringing the
project to the attention of other homeopaths, schools, homeopathy website or
other website or publications which may be willing/able to assist in the
success of the project.
regards,

Dave Hartley
new: www.localcomputermart.com/dave
Santa Cruz, CA (831)423-4284
mailto:dave@localcomputermart.com
Asheville Computer (N. Carolina) (828)285-0240