Fw: [Babase] Statdate revisited -- Was: Re: Request for Susan'sinput on SCI5 (fwd)

Amboseli Baboon Research Project babase@www.eco.princeton.edu
Thu, 21 Jul 2005 12:29:47 +0300


Hi all,

In response to Karl's comments:


>
> While Status _is_ the state of the animal on last sighting,
> Statdate is _not_ the date of last sighting.  It is the
> date of last sighting only when the individual is alive.
> When the individual is dead, it's the death date and is
> uncertain.  Of course everybody does not wind up dead,
> (lucky them)
> but for those who do you might need some uncertainty
> indications.
....
>
> So, Status is really describing one of two different
> things, the state of the animal when last seen
> alive, and whatever elaboration on date of death
> is required.  Because they never both occur at
> the same time it all works out ok.

I understand, thanks for clarification. I guess my concern is about the 
labor involved in using this system -- given, for instance, how we have 
gotten stuck on dcauses. However, I also understand that implementing in the 
database so that it is POSSIBLE to do doesn't bear one way or another on 
whether we actually do it I guess.  So, I am OK with this and agree is 
others do as well -- as I said earlier in principle this is a good thing for 
us to do.



>Susan