• Introduction
• Contact us
• Collections
• Image preparation
• Add assets (images)
• Add assets (videos)
• Add edit glossary entries
• Starcentral image editing instructions

micro*scope is a communal web environment for information about microbes. It is been designed as a modular and flexible structure that is capable of acting as a repository for information, as a template for other web sites (called star sites), to be interconnected to make an array of interacting web-sites and to be a near basal layer within a layered environment. In the latter role, the factual and near factual content of microscope can be drawn into other web environments where the information is given added value by the way it is combined, annotated or placed in a particular context. A good example of this is the re-use of micro*scope content in the Microbial Life digital library environment.

micro*scope is one member of a family of interacting web sites and associated databases that work co-operatively. Bio*pedia manages descriptions of taxa, CU*STAR is a classification scheme that acts as the organizational backbone of the web sites; micro*graph that handles raw ultrastructural images.

The content elements within the web site are referred to as 'assets' and these are placed within 'collections' The tools within microscope link new content to old content and to complementary data in associated web sites. When content is added to microscope, it will be avaiulable to the 2 existing search functions and four browse functions that help visitors find information.

If you wish to participate in adding content, you will need a password - contact us as microscope@mbl.edu. The password will allow you access to a collection, or allow you to create a collection.

Adding content

Content is adding using a web interface. The interface is still clunky, for which we apologise. It will be upgraded soon. You can either add a collection, or add assets (images) to a collection.

Browse to http://starcentral.mbl.edu/msr/, enter the name and password that have been provided.

Making a new collection

For a collection you will need the following:

• A front image for the collection - maximum 500 X 500 pixels, 72 dpi, jpg
• The name of the person who took that picture to ensure that intellectual property is properly identified
• The name of the person(s) who took the pictures that will be added to the collection to ensure that intellectual property is properly identified. If all of the images come from different people, then this information can be added to each image later.
• A description as to what the site is about.

• click "Add New collection'.
• select the image that will be used as the front page to this collection
• Enter a name for the collection (you will also be ab le to add alternative names for the colleciton later, and this will help visitors to the site to find your content.
• Add a text description. You can embed hyperlinks if you know the code, later hyperlinks will be added independently
• Add A SENTENCE identifying who took the front image for the collection - not just a name (i.e. The image was provided by Joe Blow).
• Add A SENTENCE identifying who took the image inside the collection- not just a name (i.e. This picture was provided by Joe Blow). If the images were taken by many people, leave this blank, but remember to add the name of the image taker to the legend (long caption) of each image
• We receive occasional requests for commercial use of images. The default is to put microscope@mbl.edu into this field, and this is in essence agreeing to let us deal with the requests. We deal with the paperwork, extract a single use flat fee of $50 per image, and put the income into an account that is used to maintain the micxro*scope site. If you wish to deal with commercial contacts, add your own email address here.
• Hide = OK (i.e. the content will be seen)
• Public = YES (i.e. the content will be seen)
• and click the button to 'Add New Collection'

There are other options to edit this through the 'Update collection' Button

Assign Parent Collection (use only if this is a new collection)

Completing this section places your collection within a browsing hierarchy that we use. You can for example, declare your sample to be about marine materials,. freshwater materials, water column, laboratory, historical documents,. If you need new categories, contact us.

• click on the circular arrow, and you will be provided with an array of options
• Assign to the smallest number, and in our view limit the choice to: Marine, Freshwater, Terrestrial, water Column, Sediments, or Laboratory
• And check out the web site to see if it got in OK.

Map Collection to CU*STAR (use only if this is a new collection)

This tool helps manage the linking of names associated with any incoming assets to the classification structure. Determine the taqxonomic scope of likely material, and then select the most appropriate button / buttons. If in doubt, select 'all microbes'.

Add image asset

In order to be properly prepared for this step, you need to have prepared fasmilies of images according to our recommendations

The following images are needed. The naming convenion must be followed. Use lower case throughout. The name of the image includes the name of the genus, the name of the species, a code that identifies the collection and the type of image / file.

• genus_species_xxa.tif: The best image that you can create. xx = code for collection, contact us for a code.
• genus_species_xxz.zip: Zipped version of the image above
• genus_species_xxw.jpg: the display version for the web, a 72 dpi jpg image that would fit into a box 400 pixels wide and 350 pixels tall.
• genus_species_xxt.jpg: a thumbnail, a 72 dpi jpg image that will fit into a box 100 X 100 pixels. This is NOT essential, the asst addition tools will create this for you, but by making your own image, you can en sure that the thumbnail shows off things that youi think are important

The process is:

• select the image and upload it (the image being the genus_species_xxw.jpg version)
• you have the choice to change the image if you make a mistakem but this tool doesn't work very well so we advocate starting again
• Select the thumbnail (genus_species_xxt.jpg) or leave blank if you wish the programme to add this
• Add the genus and species name, this piece of information is used by the program to tie your additions to the navigational structure
• If you are adding a name that is NOT a genus or species, tick the 'Not a Species' box
• Subspecies name
• Short caption, preferably a single word indicating what is emphasised in this image. the default is 'portrait'
• Long caption. Describe what is in the image. You do not have to describe the spoecies, micro*scope will pick this information up from the bio*pedia data base (if we have a description, and if we don't just send us an email with the deswcription in it, and we will add it to bio*pedia). Remember, if you did not specify who took images when you made the collection, you need to finish this Long caption with a statement about the intellectual property owner.
• Image rank, eneter '9'
• The download file is the genus_species_xxz.zip file
• Do not display, this is used to hide the image while information is being gathered. This is rarely used, so leave blank
• Save Data
• And check out the web site to see if it arrived OK.

GLOSSARY

• Maximum image size 300 pixels wide X 200 pixels tall, 72 dpi, jpg
• use http://starcentral.mbl.edu/mv/portal.php?pagetitle=glossary - to enter items
• Items will be verified elsewhere