@FlyBase
I can only repeat that our institution would offer support (in various ways) towards further decentralizing and hence safeguarding FlyBase and other crucial infrastructure.
Discussion
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@brembs European labs can now contribute directly to our Cambridge site: https://www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-cambridge/physiology-development-and-neuroscience/drosophila-genetic-database
@FlyBase
Yes, I know, we have initiated the process of sending money there on June 4 already.
But isn't money just the start of your/our problems?
The money problem in general isn't new at all. It's something I've been warning about for over a decade, see slides 19-22 here (from 2013):
https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/the-three-infrastructure-crises-in-science/15079538#19
But today, aren't we facing problems that go far beyond money? Isn't the reason behind the current money problems much more political than financial?
That's what I'm referring to.
I can imagine a myriad of ways in which a determined US administration can make any US online services go offline. You could be flush with money and yet, FlyBase would still be offline.
We were offering a way to make FlyBase unreachable for any government. FlyBase showed no interest. I don't know what the reasons are, I can only speculate, but it is frustrating that with decades in lead time, our most critical infrastructures remain as vulnerable as they were 15 years ago.
@FlyBase
Oh and I ran out of space to emphasize that this is not a FlyBase specific issue, of course!
I'm not blaming you guys and gals in particular for anything, none of this is your fault,. obviously! We all know whose fault all this is. 🤮
But as a user of FlyBase and someone who has been warning about exactly this scenario for more than a decade, the global inaction is just infuriating, sorry for the rant.
😇
@FlyBase
All I'm trying to propose is that maybe this could become a teachable moment? Maybe we could try to prepare for much worse actions than just funding restrictions by any government - or any other local/regional catastrophe - in the future?
@FlyBase
There probably are a gazillion ways to realize more redundancy and, hence, robustness. Maybe one of the easier ways could be to set up mirrors across the globe, e.g.
FlyBase.eu
FlyBase.uk
FlyBase.net
FlyBase.de
FlyBase.jp
etc.
Clearly not the most efficient way, but technically easy and may even reduce your bandwidth when people use more local mirrors.
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