[Rockhounds] Numbering Specimens (WAS: Paint)

[Alan Silverstein]

Don, nice essay...

> I think it is a good idea to use a prefix, for example, DJH-1...

In the computer science field, the prefix establishes uniqueness in a
larger context, which is referred to as a "namespace".  Consider how
domain names like drizzle.com are assigned...  There's a reference
authority for the top level of the namespace, and each lower level, to
ensure uniqueness.  There being no such reference authority for
"labeling collectibles", you can't guarantee there's no other "DJH" out
there, but using a prefix like that greatly increases the odds of
uniqueness.

Maybe what we need is SP addresses (Specimen Protocol) for labeling
collectibles?  :-)

But even domain-like names get unwieldy for physically attaching to
objects...  Better to keep them as short as possible, as keys into a
related database that must "travel with" the specimen in some manner, to
have any meaning.

Personally I don't get into "canonical" collecting, although I sort my
keepers by type, etc.  I do label some boxes, and I white-glue a
handwritten label onto some of my items, just to remind me what they
are, and for later gee-whiz value to anyone else.  But I have no
illusions about permanence of the labels, or of their information
value...  I'm not trying to accession to a museum collection, after all.

Cheers,
Alan Silverstein