From: "Zachary Huang" <[log in to unmask]>
> I realized before I started my project that you have one. The main problem
was that it was a "static" one.

   I spend about two weeks each winter, updating the database in preparation
for the coming spring. In addition I receive many unsolicited e-mails that
offer new or updated listings, so the list is hardly static.

> For example, one beekeeper
> in MI asked me why she kept getting calls after only advertised 5 years
ago about pollination (I think I emailed about 1 year ago to
> remove her)

   While errors certainly do happen, I generally respond to such info within
48 hours. One problem is spam, which makes it impossible for me to open
every e-mail I receive (you'll note that I recently changed my e-mail
address to get away from this, at least for awhile).

   The other problem is the subject that folks use when e-mailing me.
Anything that is labeled pollinator page, or pollinator listing, gets opened
first. Stuff that appears to be spam is often deleted. Why didn't you send a
second note, if it was obviously missed? Sometimes e-mails don't even go
thru....

-- it took me a while to see where she was listed. In addition yours is not
searchable (i.e. had to scroll).

   Zachary, you need to spend a little more time at the page, or at least
note my sig file. There is most definitely a search engine, and it works
very well, except that there is a little delay from the time a new listing
is made until it is placed in the search engine database by the spider.
You'll find the search engine at the bottom of the index page.

   In looking at my site statistics (they show the search term folks use to
come to the page), I find that many of the "hits" on the page come from the
search engine from folks looking for specific apiaries. These can come
either from the index page or from the WWW.

   This is part of the value of a listing on The Pollination Home Page, to
beekeeping businesses. It is a relatively reliable way to get into the WWW
search engines, which is getting more and more difficult as web pages
proliferate.

> I hope this is not a duplication of efforts, but only will make it more
convenient for both sides.

    That's what I see it as. And I'm afraid the duplication will lead to a
dissipation of the value of both.

    Do you think Extension should be competing with what the private sector
is already doing?  What do the rest of our beekeeping community think about
this?


Dave Green   SC  USA
The Pollination Home Page (Now searchable): http://pollinator.com