Earn Extra Money by Contributing to Plant Database

Discussion in 'Annuals, Biennials, Perennials, Ferns and Bulbs' started by handyman, Dec 21, 2007.

  1. handyman

    handyman Member

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    I'm developing some landscape design software which needs a plant database. I would like to pay some of you for your help. Once complete, the database should contain 2000 - 3000 plants commonly used for landscaping.

    I'm offering to pay $1.50 for each plant added. Each plant should include the following information:

    * scientific name
    * common name(s)
    * type (perennial, annual, vine, etc)
    * zone (min and max)
    * water use (min and max)
    * exposure (min and max)
    * height
    * width
    * description (50 word minimum)
    * one picture + attribution information (This plant database is licensed under Creative Commons, so pictures can be obtained from other "Share-alike" sources, namely wikimedia.com and portions of Flickr.)

    In addition, you can earn an extra $.01 for each additional word (beyond the original 50) up to 500 words. For example, if you added a plant with 158 words, you would earn $2.08 (1.50 + 1.08). All descriptions must be original.

    This offer is extended to anyone with a background (or interest) in horticulture. All I require is that the information provided be accurate and does not violate copyright.

    If this interests you, please reply to this post or send me a private message.
     
  2. Liz

    Liz Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Handyman, what continent are you aiming this at. I am not qualified to do this but I have some one else who is and may be of help.

    Liz
     
  3. handyman

    handyman Member

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    This plant database is targeted towards all continents...except Antarctica. =)
     
  4. handyman

    handyman Member

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    I also have a question about copyright. I'm asking this mostly on behalf of those that will be contributing information to the database. Hopefully, your input will help us understand the difference between good research and copyright infringement. I hope this doesn't scare any of you away from taking advantage of the offer above. In fact, I hope that by discussing this in an open forum, we all can come to terms with this sometimes complicated issue.

    As for images, there shouldn't be a problem for this project. As mentioned in the previous post, wikimedia.com and portions of flicker.com have a large selection of plant images protected under "share-alike" licenses. Since the new database is also share-alike, pictures can be used from these sites as long as the source is attributed.

    What about plant data (hardiness zone, exposure, water use, etc)? To what extent can plant information be copied from other sources without violating someone's copyright? I'm a software developer, not a horticulturist so I really don't have experience with this kind of stuff. With that said, I think it's acceptable to use information from other sources as long as 1)you attribute the source, 2)information is collected comes from multiple sources. I'm pretty sure of that. To me, it gets kind of fuzzy when deciding how much a source can be used. For example, is it OK for a contributer to collect data exclusively from 3 sources? 5 sources? 10? At what point should you get permission from a source?

    Any thoughts?
     
  5. handyman

    handyman Member

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    Also, I'd like to include information about "heat zones", but I don't know to what degree this is available. It seems like the American Horticultural Society (who can be thanked for developing this system) is the only source to publish heat zone information for plants. Can you think of another way to gather this information, aside from doing primary research?
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2007
  6. alkvinia kaye

    alkvinia kaye Member

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    why would you pay someone for information you can collect from books websites and nurseries? Are you wanting landscaping ideas? Are you wanting care of various plants indoors and out?
     
  7. smivies

    smivies Active Member

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    I think Handyman wants to pay people to help, not because the information & research is hard to come by, but because entering information for 2000-3000 plants into a database is time consuming work & he probably doesn't want to do all of it himself.
     
  8. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    That number of plants is not enough to make the file useful. Users looking for plants they already know about will not find them there, over and over.
     
  9. handyman

    handyman Member

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    That's exactly right. In fact, I've been working with half a dozen freelance writers/plant lovers on elance.com. Elance is a place where buyers post projects, then freelance writers bid on the projects. (Elance is really popular with stay-at-home moms that want to earn a little extra money by writing). Payments are escrowed though Elance, so its pretty safe. I'll post another blip to this thread when I open it up to more bids.

    Some might ask, "Why another plant database?" The answer, because it will be used for web-based landscaping software. People will use it to design their landscapes online, then (if they wish) share their "garden plans" with others. The plant database will be a key part of this.

    The database itself is also accessible online. It's similar to wikipedia.com, but it's more specialized for plants (searchable, zones, water usage, etc.). It's relationship with the landscaping software will also provide insight to what's popular in a given region.

    I agree that 2000 - 3000 plants isn't much, but it's a start. I hope that people find the interface refreshing and volunteer to add a plant or two. Over time, this can add up.

    For those that are interested, you can see it at http://www.mygardenplans.com.

    -Scott
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2008
  10. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    If you're not capping it at 2000-3000 plants then that's different. If you're trying to cover an area of any size (like all of US and Canada) 10 times that many wouldn't be excessive. There are individual retail nurseries that offer more than double the number of plants you are talking about at this point. It being a landscape selector doesn't make it so a comparatively small number of plants only is of interest. In fact, highly restrictive parameters of many modern situations often narrow suitable choices right down to a small set even when a large number of candidates is started with: can only grow so big, soil is limiting, want it to have fragrant flowers, city sprays road salt onto bed in winter...
     
  11. handyman

    handyman Member

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    Rob, you bring up an interesting point. Do you think nurseries would be willing share their plant lists and data in exchange for linking to them as a provider? I believe this could help bring revenue to their business because after designing their garden online, home owners will have the mindset of buying the plants online as well.

    Taking it one step further, I've considered adding a shopping cart through which nursuries could sell their plants online. Actually, this is how Amazon.com works. When you buy something from Amazon, it's likely that the item comes through an affiliated vendor rather than Amazon directly. I figure many of these nurseries don't have the infrastructure to sell these plants online. So maybe this could help them sell plants online without having to spend the money in building and marketing their own websites.

    Does this sound feasible? Would this solve a problem in the industry?

    -Scott
     
  12. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Probably you would have to set it all up and then offer participation afterward in order to get many vendors on board. The winter slow season would probably be the best time to send out feelers.

    There are wholesale source indicators up already. But what you are describing may not exist yet, I haven't noticed.
     

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