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Name: Dee Stewart Willamette Valley OR Snowpeak Iris
Wish AIS would monitor in a different way, as why let pictures in that are clearly incorrect yet go and correct a corrections does not make sense to me either Michelle
Hi everyone and thanks for your comments. It may seem like something of a tempest in a teapot but I do sincerely believe that all this nonsense with the AIS' iris wiki is detrimental to the association. Since the AIS holds the iris registry for the entire planet, I believe that with this comes a certain amount of responsibility, such as the idea that all the information the AIS website holds should be in conformity with the information contained in the Checklists---and that includes things like accents on different language names. Otherwise, to strip them of their accents is tantamount to misspelling. Posting obviously incorrect photos is just silly. . . if this wiki thing is supposed to be a "research tool" and costs a lot of money per year to maintain online, then the AIS is wasting money and your time. The very idea of treating someone who takes the time and trouble to signal these mistakes and inaccuracies as if they were being nit-picky is insulting. I still do not have any concrete answers to the issues I raised with the board of directors.
Another stupid mistake made by Betsy Higgins, who insists on changing my iris names from their correct spellings to apparently whatever she feels like writing. . . this plant's proper name is "CÅ“ur d'Hiver".
Name: Bonnie Sojourner Harris Brake, Arkansas, zone 7 The Magnolia Zone
There is no excuse for going into a database and changing the correct name of a plant to an incorrect one. I do not understand the reasoning behind this.
Well, I'll admit that "It shouldn't be".....what ever the "spelling" of the original registration....is, and should...remain, unaltered. That's part of the whole point of registering , in the first place! That said, my "formal" education was so long ago, I've forgotten what most "accent' marks really are "supposed" to do (IF I ever paid enough attention ,to learn it in the first place !). Unless I "hear" a name, or word, spoken (hopefully in the correct way !) ,I'm pretty much "saying it in my head", the way I THINK it should sound......and that's usually not correct !
I know (from comments on other forums) that the "problem" IS being looked at, and worked on.......part of the issue is just plain "pilot error", but , a large part of the issue is ,apparently, "web related'....the "program" want's to "correct itself" when it detects what it "THINKS" are errors. Hopefully, they will be able to take care of the issue....but, we all have to remember that the folks doing the entries, as well as any corrections, picture additions....everything....are 'just folks'.....VOLUNTEER folks, who are doing their best, and are probably getting pretty upset about both the "issues " they are having with the program, and the criticism they are getting, as I'm sure they feel they are "doing the best they can". The AIS, as well as all it's" branches" have a problem with "enough money', as well as with "enough volunteers" to do everything they want, or NEED to do. I'll put my "soap box" away, now
webs do self correct in a funny way. Every time I type I. reticulata it changes the last a to an e. I just changed it back as usual & it underlined it in red which only I can see.
My Android cell phone is the same way -- just arbitrarily changes my spelling. Aggravates the h*ll out of me!! My poor sister Barb has had to reconcile herself to being called *Barn*.
Every day is a second chance. Every day is precious time.
Name: Bonnie Sojourner Harris Brake, Arkansas, zone 7 The Magnolia Zone
I want to thank you, Michelle, for saying "2) About volunteers. . . there is no reason why volunteer help (for anything) shouldn’t be able to do just as good and accurate a job as someone who is paid and also to take the time to check and re-check their information."
I retired from an NPO that would not be as greatly successful as it is without volunteers and I have had some of the most intelligent, dedicated and hard working people working as a volunteer under my supervision. If they are passionate enough about something to volunteer their personal time, which is a valuable commodity in itself, then they will be doing the best job they can. If the job they are doing does not meet specs then their supervisor needs to thank them and either move them to a job that they can do or give them a going away party. It should always come back to the paid supervisor and should always be addressed and corrected. I love volunteers and know that if encouraged and given the right tools and information they can do wonders.
Thanks very much, Dave and Bonnie for your kind words. I, too hope that the AIS will wake up and get their priorities straight; there's a lot of house-cleaning to do.
It may be a question of not enough volunteers, and an overwhelming amount of work. With all the thousands of Iris varieties, and all of the details pertaining to every single one of them, the task seems daunting. And it may be a question of a particular volunteer not liking or not being particularly skilled at the job that he/she is doing.
I do agree that correct information should be a priority.
Every day is a second chance. Every day is precious time.
A species iris which we grow I. aphylla 'Prodan' seems to be missing from the list. I have to see if I can get it installed. We are digging some for our club sale next weekend.
