Biodiversity Data Rescue Workbench v0.7.0

Biodiversity Data Rescue Workbench v0.7.0

The first public release of Biodiversity Data Rescue Workbench.

Bio is a local-first open-source workbench for preserving, investigating, repairing, validating, and documenting messy biodiversity datasets while keeping originals, provenance, and uncertainty visible.

Highlights

• Preserve source files and inspect extraction before accepting working tables.
• Investigate literal values, relationships, evidence, and unresolved meanings.
• Preview repairs, review changes, and retain recoverable project history where supported.
• Use local validation and standards-oriented mapping, export, and preservation tools.
• Explore bounded large-data workflows in the retained interface.
• Learn through the searchable Help Center, guided tutorials, and Bio Buddy's local curated guidance.
• Add sources through file selection, clipboard file paste, or drag and drop.
• Launch through the native Windows launcher with explicit runtime selection, verification, and local rollback when earlier runtimes are retained.
• Access optional Support Bio panels and disable quiet reminders in Settings → About.

Download and run

Download Biodiversity-Data-Rescue-Workbench-0.7.0-Portable.zip and SHA256SUMS.txt, verify the archive's SHA-256, then extract the complete folder to a writable location. Open Launch Workbench.exe, then Open Workbench. Start with Learn & practice and a fictional dataset.

Windows x64 and Microsoft WebView2 are required. Python, Node, and developer tools are not required for packaged use. Keep all extracted folders together.

This release provides a portable package. An installer is omitted because installer acceptance is not complete. Binaries are unsigned; Windows may display a reputation or security warning. Verify the download and its source before running it.

The launcher checks the official GitHub release source on request. Updating means downloading and verifying the complete newer package; automatic installation is not claimed. The supplementary update manifest records the release asset's identity, size, and checksum; update detection uses GitHub release metadata.

Data safety

Retained original bytes are separate from working values. Inspect extraction against originals, review repairs and interpretations, and preserve uncertainty. Validation checks structure and defined constraints; it does not certify scientific truth or complete standards conformance.

Research stays local unless you deliberately share it or authorize an optional external provider in retained tools. Working storage is not encrypted. Backups and packages may contain source data, precise locations, contacts, and history. Review before sharing, and keep independent backups: a saved project is not a backup.

Current status and known limitations

This is an early 0.x release. Feedback from real datasets, minimized safe examples, and accessibility testing is welcome. Please do not upload confidential research to public issues.

• Manual visual acceptance was deferred by the maintainer before release. Automated, native unit, and headless browser suites passed; visible native window, drag/taskbar, and installer interaction acceptance is not claimed.
• Some advanced and large-data workflows remain in the retained interface. Full V7 presentation translation parity is not complete.
• Document/spreadsheet reader fidelity varies. Inspect extracted text and values against the preserved source.
• Bio Buddy offers local learning and workflow guidance; it does not automatically interpret scientific meaning.
• A portable package contains one selected runtime. Rollback requires another verified runtime to be retained locally.

Support

Bio is free and open source under AGPL-3.0-only. Optional support helps fund development, testing, accessibility, documentation, and long-term maintenance.

GitHub Sponsors · Ko-fi

Every feature remains free. Support reminders can be disabled in Settings → About.