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Comparison between Visual Key and Others Interactive Identification Programs

Modified from http://delta-intkey.com/www/comparison.htm to include Visual Key and its new feature (in red)

Feature weight Visual Key Intkey IdentifyIt LucID MEKA NaviKey PollyClave XID Weighted count of features (Max 248) 992175613362719277 Advantages over conventional keys Unrestricted character use888888888Character deletion and changing4 4444444Error tolerance8 8 8 Locating errors4 4 Expressing uncertainty888 84 84Numeric characters8 8 8 88 Guidance in character selection Character maps88 Best characters88884 48Separating a taxon4 4 2Best routes2 2 Differentiating attributes0 00 Removing redundant characters2222222 2Removing redundant character states00 0 0 0Character reliabilities4 4 44Attribute reliabilities4 Searching the character list444 4 2 Recording and matching character values Retaining unknowns161616 161616168Character dependencies4 4 2 Automatic controlling characters4 4 Gaps for integer numerics4 4 4 44 Text characters2 2 11 Special values for keys4 2 Probabilistic identification4 Inapplicable versus unknown212 12 Expanded ranges for numerics2 1 1 Unknown state values2 22 Exact characters2 2 Fixing character values2 2 2 Subsets Named subsets of characters4 4 44 4Global subsets of characters4 4 44 Local subsets of characters2 2 1Named subsets of taxa444 Global subsets of taxa4 4 Local subsets of taxa2 2 Character interpretation Character notes4 424 4Glossaries4 Character illustrations44422 44State selection from illustrations44422 Images and sounds Taxon illustrations444444422Taxon illustrations by subject4 444 Flexible display of illustrations424 Text with illustrations222 2 2Sounds22222 Videos22222 Running without illustrations222 Linked keys Integral hierarchical keys2 2 Separate hierarchical keys2 2 2 Information retrieval Searching the taxon names2 2 1 1 Descriptions from the data22222 222Differences between taxa4 422 Similarities between taxa2 211 Diagnostic descriptions4 4 Taxon retrieval by attributes2 2 1 Control of value matching2 2 11 1Character-value distributions2 2 1Most similar taxa2 2 Text files attached to taxa2 222 Data sharing Importing DELTA format2 2 1 22 Exporting DELTA format2 2 1 22 Data output2 2 Links with description writing2 2 22 Links with key generation2 2 22 Links with classification2 2 22 Useability Online help2 211 112Command files or macros2 2 11 User-definable toolbar4 4 External program text2 2 2 Log files2 2 Unlimited data size444244444Unlimited field lengths222 1 222No special memory requirements222222222Fast execution4444 4 4Internet capability222 22 Installation unnecessary222 2 2