I wanted to thank everyone for their responses to my original inquiry. I am already computerized,
and have been for many years. I currently have about 600 Oliva alone and would be lost without it. I
use Filemaker Pro (Mac), and have each individual shell listed with an individual reference number
along with: date acquired, family, genus, sub-genus, species, sub-species, form, author, reference,
local, notes supplier, cost, size, quality and there is a place for pictures for when I get around to it.
(Could this mean a new camera!)

What I was originally wondering was, specifically for Oliva, what systems are the most flexible. With
the continuing debates on anuulata/amethystina/mantichora/maculata and
irisans/conccina/concinna keremorum/ornata/lignaria to mention a few, I find it difficult to move
large groups of shells from one drawer to another, when their name changes, when organized
alphabetically.

 Does geographical division (i.e. American species, Eastern Pacific species, etc.) have any merit (of
course alphabetizing within)? Oliva also has a well defined Sub-species organization (Petuch &
Sargent, 1986) which could be another way. Your thoughts are appreciated.

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