Spring 2008 Issue
The theme of this issue is "Updating Legacy Websites", and several feature articles describe recent upgrades to LTER web sites and supporting technology. Linda Powell describes a major redesign of the FCE web site, Wade Sheldon describes the development of a web-based document and imagery archive at GCE, Hung Nguyen and Corinna Gries describe a novel approach to enhancing the effectiveness of metadata keyword searching in the CAP data catalog, and James Connors and Mason Kortz describe Application Program Interfaces designed by PAL and CCE to support web development projects. Helen Karasti also introduces The FinLTSER Network, a new I-LTER network established in Finland.
This issue also showcases a new Commentary section that includes insightful, thought-provoking articles based on real-world experiences of practicing informatics professionals. John Porter describes his initial experiences with virtual machine technology, James Brunt provides a practical overview of current collaboration technology Karen Baker and Sabine Grabner discuss enhancing collaboration opportunities through local meetings, and Lynne Yarmey describes ongoing efforts in defining standards for preservation metadata and data quality control.
The Good Tools and Programs section, introduced in the Fall 2007 issue, also includes useful reviews of several new and updated applications and technologies. Ken Ramsey and Nicole Kaplan describe Specifik, a software tool developed for the Grasslands Data Integration project by Juli Mallet, John Porter provides a great introduction to using Google's Keyhole Markup Language for display of geographic data, Margaret O'Brien and Matt Jones provide a preview of the EML 2.1.0 changes, Inigo San Gil and Giri Palanisamy present a great walk-through of the revised NBII Mercury search interface, and Duane Coast and Mark Servilla describe recent updates to Metacat that enhance performance and usability.
Several Good Reads, a report on a USFS Experimental Forest and Range IM meeting by Don Henshaw, and announcements of upcoming informatics meetings round out the issue.
Wade Sheldon (GCE-LTER) and Margaret O'Brien (SBS-LTER), co-editors