Dick, I was suggesting making the online database the master file. The data in each new stand-alone release would be automatically generated as a "snapshot" of the on-line database at specified intervals, making new releases automatic once the basic code for the stand-alone database is in place.

I no longer have the skills to do any of this though.... However I know the Folklore Society can produce reports of its online data in machine-readable format that can be imported into various software.

Is this not possible for the online Digitrad database as well? Since the stand-alone version is being revamped, I would expect that whatever database engine is used would include an import feature? Lots of data of course but not a maintenance nightmare.

And, since the stand-alone database is released in specific versions, there would be no data concurrency problem. The stand-alone version would be a snapshot of the master database at a given time.

Last, about providing linked music files. I would be against having just lyrics and no tunes in the DT. That would be a huge step backward.

But I can't see any rationale for withholding a song from the DT because there is no tune available at present! What is the problem with having some songs without tune files until tunes can be made avaiable? Bill has a saying: "Fifty percent of something is better than 100 percent of nothing."

Rita F