Hi Chris and Roger,

Your comments basically answered my question. So, what I am going to have to do one of these days is create and run a computer program that will compare my database earthquakes with the NEIC database and have the computer program remove any earthquakes in my files that are found to be errors. That should be a simple program to create. I might use Excel to do the work.

The fact that some inaccurate earthquake listings might presently be in my database file probably makes little difference. The result would be that the errors would be spread out over the entire world and just cause the probability programs I am using to be a little less accurate.

The most important part of the operation is still valid. It is essential that my database records be accurate for high magnitude and destructive earthquakes. And I am fairly certain that my records for those earthquakes are accurate.

For future additions to my database file I will probably continue to use the USGS 7 day list and then once a month or so just run that computer program to remove any error type entries.

The main reason for wanting to continue using the 7 day list is because with each entry there is a country listing. The NEIC database just lists latitudes and longitudes etc. with no country reference. And that makes the data more difficult to evaluate down the road.

RESEARCH AND COMPUTER PROGRAMMMING ABILITY

Finally, for almost all other science researchers, not just ones interested in earthquakes I will propose that if you don’t know how to develop computer programs using both a standard programming language such as Perl, Python, Basic, or C++ and a spreadsheet language such as Excel or the OpenOffice spreadsheet program then your ability to do research is likely to be seriously limited.

Additionally, it can significantly expand your research capabilities if you also have the ability to do Web site development work including Web page development and CGI program creation involving actual Web site programs and PC programs using a Web server duplication program such as Xampp. It required a tremendous amount of time and effort over the past decade for me learn how to do those types of things.

Someone should really have an online course for scientists that explains how to do those types of things. They would not really be difficult to learn if there were some type of easy to understand instruction manual. – Another entry for my projects list.