Possible applications of computer technologies to ufology are several, yet those we may actually consider realistic for the present situation of UFO movement are mainly related to digital information production and management of existing printed documents. Fulfillment of such a goal could soon deliver the availability of a huge amount of information being of great use for anybody going to carry out research works, including sophisticated statistical surveys that could be developed in very short times. In such a way a very first basic result would be achieved: the systematic collection and prompt availability of the information evidence.

More advanced applications are nowadays technically possible, but beyond current resources of most UFO groups and buffs. An example is the use of 3D animation in order to simulate the dynamic of a sighting and carry out a series of controls on the witness' tale or the transformation of alleged UFO pictures into 3D models. Even though I and few other Italian researchers have been experimenting something in such fields, we must be patient: the future will offer us several surprises.

A personal computer with suitable components and a well-organized work plan is the perfect tool to store information in standard format. The concept of "standard" is extremely important: it may made available what has been produced by a single researcher to the whole UFO community, efficiently solving the communication problem. So it is necessary to follow a few simple rules when producing a text or catalogue or electronically archiving a given quantity of information. The priority goal is the easy availability of such computer-based documents, now and in the future, as present standards will be such throughout the next years as well. Such rules are really generic, because they want to be only a common minimum reference level to everybody interested in using the computer for UFO-related works. Last but not least, using these standards allows researchers to get rid easily of problems concerning the data transfer between two different computers (PC and Mac, for example).

These formats refer to standards in data storage rather than in data structure. Their use will definitely deliver great benefits to UFO research in the near future. Anyway, there are some other problems related to the data typology to be discussed and which suggestions of solution should be spread among ufologists. An example: unfortunately, there is no set of internationally common "recommendations" for the definition of a minimum set of data to be used for the electronic filing of sighting cases. A possible suggestion could be that one reported in the next slide. Making it known to people involved in UFO research it could be possible to start a common discussion and achieve a set of "recommendations" to be used as guidelines for all people using the computer for their works. The most direct result would be an important correspondence among the data included in the sighting catalogues (today they are often completely incompatible) and the possibility to establish quickly huge international catalogues on which to carry out first level statistical analyses.

CHAPTERS
• Information as Evidence
• Computers and UFO Research
• Ufology Goes On-Line
• The Italian Example
• ITACAT and TRACAT
• PHOTOCAT and the Question of Photographic Evidence
• Other Computer-Based Projects
• Multimedia Catalogues

• Introduction