Frequently Asked Questions - Revision history

Gauravm: /* What is Project Brahma? */

2011-11-05T23:48:55Z

‎What is Project Brahma?

Gauravm: /* How trustworthy is the data? */

2011-11-05T23:47:20Z

‎How trustworthy is the data?

Gauravm: /* How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there? */

2011-11-05T23:02:37Z

‎How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there?

Gauravm at 22:59, 5 November 2011

2011-11-05T22:59:48Z

Gauravm: /* Why are you bringing religion into this? Couldnt you get a better name? */

2011-11-05T22:50:52Z

‎Why are you bringing religion into this? Couldnt you get a better name?

Gauravm: /* Who is behind Project Brahma? */

2011-11-05T22:49:03Z

‎Who is behind Project Brahma?

Gauravm: /* How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there? */

2011-04-04T00:47:22Z

‎How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there?

Gauravm: /* How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there? */

2011-04-04T00:04:29Z

‎How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there?

Gauravm: /* How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there? */

2011-04-02T22:34:03Z

‎How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there?

Gauravm: /* How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there? */

2011-04-02T13:03:22Z

‎How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there?

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 ==What is Project Brahma?==
-Project Brahma was the original name of this [http://www.projectbrahma.org website]. We then changed it to Biodiversity of India to enable easy association between our aims and our content. We hope that this transition will enable people to find our website and know what our website is all about, more easily.
+Project Brahma was the original name of this [http://www.projectbrahma.org website]. We then changed it to Biodiversity of India to enable easy association between our aims and the content of this website. We hope that this transition will enable people to find our website and know what our website is all about, more easily.
-On some pages of this website, you will still see the name Project Brahma (for eg: on the help pages). We will try to make modifications wherever they matter.
+However, we still retain the name Project Brahma as the name of our umbrella project, consisting of three media:
 ==How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there?==

@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 ==How trustworthy is the data?==
-'''We do not vouch for the trustworthiness of the data on this website'''. As mentioned above, we do not aim to be the source of trustworthy, curated data. There are existing databases that have done this job and we do not want to reinvent the wheel. Our model is exactly similar to the Wikipedia model, that is of a community-regulated database. We believe that is the best way to document species information in the context of India. However, wherever possible, we will, as website admins, try to provide sources of information and quality assessment tools to enable users to make their own decisions.
+'''We do not vouch for the trustworthiness of the data on this website'''. As mentioned above, we do not aim to be the source of trustworthy, curated data. There are existing databases that have done this job and we do not want to reinvent the wheel. Our model is exactly similar to the Wikipedia model, that is of a community-regulated database. We believe that is the best way to document species information in the context of India.
 ==Isnt the scope of the project too wide?==

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 Particularly, how is the project different from Indian databases such as [http://sec.org.in/jeevsampada/ IBIN/JeevSampada], [http://indiabiodiversity.org/ India Biodiversity Portal], [http://www.bisindia.org/ BIS India], [http://envis.frlht.org/ FRLHT] and international databases such as [http://envis.frlht.org/ GBIF], [http://www.eol.org Encyclopedia of Life], [http://www.iucnredlist.org/ IUCN Red List] and so on.
-Firstly, it is important to note that Biodiversity of India is a citizen science initiative and not a government/institutionalized initiative like all above databases (except EoL). Secondly, the above databases consist of curated information, obtained mostly from primary data sources. Thirdly, in the context of Indian biodiversity, no existing database performs the functions that we intend to perform.
+Firstly, it is important to note that Biodiversity of India is a citizen-oriented initiative and not a government/institutionalized initiative like all above databases (except EoL). Secondly, the above databases consist of curated information, obtained mostly from primary data sources. Thirdly, in the context of Indian biodiversity, no existing database performs the functions that we intend to perform.
 The following features make us different:

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 # To generate awareness among the common man about the sociocultural, medicinal and economic impact of species loss, and involve them in the activity of biodiversity conservation
 # To provide resources for further education, research and conservation efforts into this area
 ==How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there?==
 Particularly, how is the project different from Indian databases such as [http://sec.org.in/jeevsampada/ IBIN/JeevSampada], [http://indiabiodiversity.org/ India Biodiversity Portal], [http://www.bisindia.org/ BIS India], [http://envis.frlht.org/ FRLHT] and international databases such as [http://envis.frlht.org/ GBIF], [http://www.eol.org Encyclopedia of Life], [http://www.iucnredlist.org/ IUCN Red List] and so on.
-Firstly, it is important to note that Project Brahma is a citizen science initiative and not a government/institutionalized initiative like all above databases (except EoL). Secondly, the above databases are colossal databases of high quality information, obtained mostly from primary data sources. Thirdly, in the context of Indian biodiversity, no existing database performs the functions that we intend to perform.
+Firstly, it is important to note that Biodiversity of India is a citizen science initiative and not a government/institutionalized initiative like all above databases (except EoL). Secondly, the above databases consist of curated information, obtained mostly from primary data sources. Thirdly, in the context of Indian biodiversity, no existing database performs the functions that we intend to perform.
 The following features make us different:
@@ Line 38: / Line 43: @@
 |}
-The following features of Brahma Project provide it with quite different and in some cases, more abilities than the above databases:
+The following features of Biodiversity of India provide it with quite different and in some cases, more abilities than the above databases:
 # Integration with Web 2.0 services such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, RSS Feeds, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons etc.
@@ Line 47: / Line 52: @@
 ==How trustworthy is the data?==
-'''We do not vouch for the trustworthiness of the data on this website'''. As mentioned above, we do not aim to be the source of trustworthy, curated data. There are existing databases that have done this job and we do not want to reinvent the wheel. The Project Brahma model is exactly similar to the Wikipedia model, that is of a community-regulated database. We believe that is the best way to document species information in the context of India. However, wherever possible, we will, as website admins, try to provide sources of information and quality assessment tools to enable users to make their own decisions.
+'''We do not vouch for the trustworthiness of the data on this website'''. As mentioned above, we do not aim to be the source of trustworthy, curated data. There are existing databases that have done this job and we do not want to reinvent the wheel. Our model is exactly similar to the Wikipedia model, that is of a community-regulated database. We believe that is the best way to document species information in the context of India. However, wherever possible, we will, as website admins, try to provide sources of information and quality assessment tools to enable users to make their own decisions.
 ==Isnt the scope of the project too wide?==
 It is. But given the rapid rate of species loss and habitat destruction in India, we cannot afford to be slower. There are [[Projects_for_volunteers|many things that can be done]] using the framework we have developed till now, many of which remain in concept-phase due to insufficient number of volunteers. We are always looking for volunteers to take on more challenges and expand the scope of the project even more.
-==Who is behind Project Brahma?==
+==Who is behind Biodiversity of India?==
 Read about our current team [[Biodiversity of India:About|here]]

@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 ==Isnt the scope of the project too wide?==
 It is. But given the rapid rate of species loss and habitat destruction in India, we cannot afford to be slower. There are [[Projects_for_volunteers|many things that can be done]] using the framework we have developed till now, many of which remain in concept-phase due to insufficient number of volunteers. We are always looking for volunteers to take on more challenges and expand the scope of the project even more.
 ==Who is behind Project Brahma?==

@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 ==Who is behind Project Brahma?==
-Read about our current team [[Projectbrahma:About|here]]
+Read about our current team [[Biodiversity of India:About|here]]
 ==Who's funding the project?==

@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 | This is a database aimed at collecting information about medicinal plants and the traditional knowledge associated with these plants
 |}
 ''(section under development)''

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 ==How is this project any different from other documentation websites out there?==
-Particularly, how is the project different from Indian databases such as [http://sec.org.in/jeevsampada/ IBIN/JeevSampada], [http://indiabiodiversity.org/ India Biodiversity Portal], [http://www.bis.org.in/ BIS India], [http://envis.frlht.org/ FRLHT] and international databases such as [http://envis.frlht.org/ GBIF], [http://www.eol.org Encyclopedia of Life], [http://www.iucnredlist.org/ IUCN Red List] and so on.
+Particularly, how is the project different from Indian databases such as [http://sec.org.in/jeevsampada/ IBIN/JeevSampada], [http://indiabiodiversity.org/ India Biodiversity Portal], [http://www.bisindia.org/ BIS India], [http://envis.frlht.org/ FRLHT] and international databases such as [http://envis.frlht.org/ GBIF], [http://www.eol.org Encyclopedia of Life], [http://www.iucnredlist.org/ IUCN Red List] and so on.
-Firstly, it is important to note that Project Brahma is a citizen science initiative and not a government initiative like all above databases (except EoL). Secondly, the above databases are colossal databases of high quality information, obtained mostly from primary data sources. Thirdly, in the context of Indian biodiversity, no existing database performs the functions that we intend to perform.
+Firstly, it is important to note that Project Brahma is a citizen science initiative and not a government/institutionalized initiative like all above databases (except EoL). Secondly, the above databases are colossal databases of high quality information, obtained mostly from primary data sources. Thirdly, in the context of Indian biodiversity, no existing database performs the functions that we intend to perform.
 The following features make us different:
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 {|class="wikitable"
 ! [http://sec.org.in/jeevsampada/ IBIN/JeevSampada]
-| Collection of high quality information from primary sources, aimed mainly to ward off patenting of indigenous bioresources and knowledge by international companies
+| Collection of high quality information from primary sources, aimed mainly to ward off patenting of indigenous bioresources and knowledge by international companies. Most government-funded databases around the country feed into IBIN thus making it a rich body of biodiversity data.
 |-
 ! [http://www.indiabiodiversity.org India Biodiversity Portal]
 | Increasing people's participation in documenting spatial biodiversity data. Makes good use of Google Maps and organizes information as layers on the maps. Contain several species checklists+News+Links to blogs
 |-
-! [http://www.bis.org.in/ BIS India]
+! [http://www.bisindia.org/ BIS India]
+| Biodiversity Information System (BIS) is an initiative of the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun and aims to provide spatial information about vegetation cover, fragmentation pattern, species richness etc. through use of satellite and remote sensing data.
 |}
 ==How trustworthy is the data?==

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 Having said that, we do not aim to be redundant with existing biodiversity databases. The functions of different databases related to Indian biodiversity are different. For example:
 {|class="wikitable"
-! [http://sec.org.in/jeevsampada/ IBIN/JeevSampada] || Collection of high quality information from primary sources, aimed mainly to ward off patenting of indigenous bioresources and knowledge by international companies
+! [http://sec.org.in/jeevsampada/ IBIN/JeevSampada]
 |-
-! [http://www.indiabiodiversity.org India Biodiversity Portal] || Increasing people's participation in documenting spatial biodiversity data, creating species checklists
+! [http://www.indiabiodiversity.org India Biodiversity Portal]
 |}