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D P I E no. 5 
Museum and University Data, Program, and Information Exchange 
TAXIR PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO 
The Taximetrics Laboratory at the University of Colorado, Boulder, played 
host October 8, 1968 to a group of museum and university representatives shar¬ 
ing an interest in data storage, manipulation and retrieval. The TAXIR programs, 
devised by a group working with Dr. David Rogers, were demonstrated after descrip¬ 
tions of various aspects of the program by the staff. Although the number of 
specimens forming the data base was not large (about 2000 in the "curatorial" bank, 
used to retrieve catalogue data, and about 70 in the "morphological" bank, used 
for sorting, key development, and derivation of descriptions), it was clear that 
the programs were viable and functioning. At the present time, and with the 
"descriptor states" built in by Rogers' group, it is perhaps solely functional 
for processing data in the plant genus Manihot , but the group is confident that 
it can be adapted readily to both curatorial and monographic functions for other 
workers, and they are interested in contacts with other workers who might be in a 
position to take advantage of their work. A series of mimeographed statements on 
the program, its capacity, and so on, were given out to the participants. Copies 
of a few of these items are still available, and will be sent on request by Dr. 
David J. Rogers, Taximetrics Laboratory, University of Colorado, Boulder.--JAP. 
ENNEAMETRIC SYSTEMATICS 
Anthony Santiago, of the Botany Department, University of Singapore, Bukit 
Tamah Road, Singapore 10, has published a series of papers recently on what he 
calls enneametric systematics." This approach, based on a concept of trichotomy 
rather than dichotomy, is organized around a three by three matrix, or a set of 
nine cells. Santiago makes several points in support of this thesis, including 
the following: 
)• The human mind tends to categorize into groups of three or less 
any mass of objects, using relationships, real or fancied, as 
the basis for the classification. 
2. The modern tools for sorting, such as computers, punched cards, 
and so on, are not limited to dichotomies, but can utilize poly- 
chotomous arrangements for classification. 
3. A three-way split permits breakdown and assortment of continuous 
variation [clinal?] by assigning positions to the group at each 
extreme and the group about the mean'. 
4. There are many classifications and groupings that fall naturally 
into three by three matrices, and organizing data in this way makes 
it more easily grasped. 
