Most researchers do not spend much time thinking about persistent identifiers - they just want to get on with their work. PID infrastructure for all things scholarly promises to deliver on seamless integration of research resources, as well as make reporting and analysis of research outcomes more streamlined. To realise this vision, the good news is: we are not starting from scratch. To realise this vision, the bad news is: we are not starting from scratch. How can we build coherent and functional PID infrastructure in the midst of a rich ecosystem that is constantly growing in scale and diversity? In this talk I will give a perspective on life with and without PIDs in the life sciences, outlining some of the learning from the journey thus far and some hopes for the future.
