Cliff Sirman
(Mel Fisher’s Treasures, Key West, USA)
The Historic Shipwreck Research Database is a web based, database application originally designed to catalog, manage and present historical artifacts recovered by the legendary Mel Fisher, family and crew, from the Nuestra Senora de Atocha, a heavily laddened Spanish galleon, that ran aground near Key West, FL in 1622, to anyone with an internet connection. As important as it is to accurately conserve, catalog and report on each and every artifact recovered, it is as equally important for the data and photographic evidence be available to the public. This custom software was built in-house and offers a complete administration area as well as many management reports and other modules that are not available to the public.
Within 24 hours of data entry, updates and/or photograph additions in the artifact module, this software automatically updates a publicly accessible website: http://www.historicshipwrecks.com.
The application also provides the means to present additional material such as research papers and illustrations of notable artifacts, and features facilities such as a multi-criteria search of the artifact database, artifact reports, and an integrated message board for institutional and public use.
Additionally, the public website can be viewed in seven different languages. These translations are software generated and many not be totally accurate on all translations; however, it affords those who do not speak English to get the general idea in the language of their choice. On a lighter note, Peedy the Parrot is more than happy to give visitors a quick tour of the site if requested to.
This application could be easily modified, if necessary, to meet the needs of any similar organization requiring a powerful, secure, data driven application that is accessable from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection.