Launching iSpot 12 June 2012
11 June 2012 - 4:40pm — anonymous spotteriSpot will be launched on Tuesday 12 June 2012. The official launch will be held at the annual dinner of the Biodiversity Information Management Forum.
The programme for the dinner need not concern us here (drinks, entre, introduction, iSpot talk, launch, dinner, desert, questions). The issue here is: how can we, as iSpotters not at the BIMF dinner, participate in the launch?
A special tag has been installed for the launch. You can participate by posting a commemorative (celebratory) observation.
The idea is simple. Find a nice observation(s) worthy of the day and post an observation with the tag “iSpot Launch Celebratory Observations” Something interesting and exciting, or a particularly nice picture, or your favourite beast. In the “Description” (or as a comment if you prefer – but remember you are describing your celebratory observation and why you have posted it) feel free to express your thoughts and wishes on the future of iSpot and what to you is the fascination of iSpot.
While some shouting is understandable, please keep uppercase use to a minimum.
“iSpot Launch Celebratory Observations” will commence at 15h00 and continue to 24h00. Any observations outside of this period will be untagged. All observations with the tag will be displayed at the launch, commencing at 17h30.
You are requested to please stop posting at 18h45. iSpot will be launched with a special observation, and you are welcome to refresh your webpage until it is posted at just before 19h00. Thereafter, it would be superb if you could agree to the identification (only if you recognize the species) and thereafter continue submitting observations. Further celebratory observations will be aired until the launch dinner is over at about 20h00.
The idea is to obtain a cross-section of celebratory observations and users as a permanent record of the event, and that can perhaps be revisited and perhaps repeated at special anniversaries.
Please join us in the launch of iSpot.
All that is left is to thank you for your fantastic support of the testing and proofing of iSpot over the last year since we started. We trust that you have enjoyed iSpot as much as we have, and will continue to do so as it grows.
Remember that the users run iSpot. The only administration is the awarding of knowledgeable and expert badges and the removal of inappropriate content identified by you. Remember to express your wishes and identify inadequacies: we will do our best to try and meet your expectations. Everything on iSpot is yours.
Click here to see the iSpot Launch Celebratory Observations or embed the link http://ispot.org.za/taxonomy/term/7617
Comments
launch
To those interested, the following iSpot Launch Celebratory Observations were posted yesterday:
150 plants
23 insects and arthropods
12 birds
11 fungi and lichens
9 reptiles and amphibians
7 mammals
2 fossils
and 1 each of snail and fish
A total of 216 Celebratory Observations so far.
Observations came from as far afield as Reunion, Madagascar and Kilimanjaro! At least two users went on a Celebratory hike! From users 5 years old to extremely old. Extinct species and populations were posted, as well as more widespread species.
Thank you everyone for a most exciting launch!
11 000 plant observations
11 000 plant observations
on Wednesday 13 June 2012 at 22h25 with outrampsann's observation of Cannomois scirpoides females on Northern side of Swartberg - Ou Tol circuit.
As there are approximately 22 000 plant taxa in southern Africa, this is our half way mark to having as many records as there are species of plants in southern Africa. Of course, with duplicates we do not have half of the species - but that is a target we hope to reach within the next year.
Well done everyone.
20 000 Determinations
20 000 Determinations were passed on the afternoon of 18 June 2012.
Determinations are the core of iSpot, allowing identifications to be made, and allowing users to "I agree" or post alternative identifications. These contribute to users reputations which reflects their proficiency at identifying species within their groups.
One can thus start as a novice and by trying to make identifications, asking questions and "I agreeing" build up one's expertise until one will be able to help others to become knowledgeable - or even an expert - in ones group(s).
Thanks everyone for making iSpot fun. Because getting to know our wildlife, wildflowers and wildfungi IS GREAT FUN!
900 users
Welcome to Wessel Swanepoel - our 900th user on 18 June 2012 at 21h30.
Welcome Wessel! Hope you enjoy iSpot as much as we do.
17 000 Observations
17 000 Observations
on Thursday 21 June 2012 at 01h31 with jkmorrisaustin's observation of Loranthaceae- Olifantshoek on R385, Postmasburg.
A fantastic effort - thanks to everyone for the great postings during and around the launch, and the splendid data and stunning pictures (not that all pictures need to be great: a few of our really exciting pictures are barely identifiable) that continue to be sent in. Please continue to have fun!
Dont forget to check the statistics
For stats see: http://ispot.org.za/stats%20update
25 000 Agreements
Reached 25 000 Agreements at about midday on 26 June 2012.
Well done everyone.
That's almost one and a half agreements per observation. With the 21 000 identifications that amounts to 46 000 effective identifications: over 2.6 per observation.
Congratulations
Well done to the Marlandza on reaching 3000 social points!
Apologies to those fast flyers who are shooting through points so fast that I cannot keep track. There are so many amazing observations and stunning pictures - its fantastic. Very many thanks!
Full posting of leader page at Month's end.
18 000 Observations
18 000 Observations
on Friday 29 June 2012 at 09h09 with Jannie Groenewald's observation of Acacia pycnantha gall at Jonkershoek Rd, Mostertsdrift.
That's an incredible 1000 observations in 7 days!
Almost all our records have been blown out of the water (except for invertebrates: it must be too cold). see http://ispot.org.za/stats%20update
What a fantastic achievement: thank you all.
Window extended.
Due to demand and dismay, we will keep postings open until midnight on the 13 June 2012.
If you missed it, why not post a comment on http://ispot.org.za/node/152652 the OFFICIAL LAUNCH OBSERVATION
For that there is no time limit ...