SURVEY
======
For nearly a year now GenBank has been sending out updates to the sequence
database via USENET into the "bionet.molbiol.genbank.updates" newsgroup.
These sequence postings can be used to automatically maintain a local copy of
GenBank which is no more than 1-4 days behind GenBank itself, depending on
the speed of the USENET link. The USENET was selected for this type of
distribution because data distribution is very efficient, much better than
individual FTP downloads to multiple sites.
GenBank has asked us to conduct a survey to find out the extent of the use of
this data feed, and specifically how many sites are using the automatic
GenBank update programs written at PHRI and NYUMC (for UNIX and VMS,
respecitvely), derivatives of this code, code written for other platforms or
independant of us.
To facilitate the survey we would appreciate responses from the "GenBank
Manager" at each site that uses the USENET nightly update feed in some
fashion. A "site" is any institution or lab that maintains its own GenBank.
We want to be able to count all the sites that are users of the data feed and
the software, but my mailer will probably not deal with waves of negative
responses. **So if you do not use it at all, please do not respond**
------------ Clip here and Return to <smith at mcclb0.med.nyu.edu> -----------
Do you use the USENET nightly GenBank update data feed at all?
Yes, the sequences are read by each individual: ___
Yes, the sequences are processed by our computer: ___
Do you use the USENET feed to maintain a local up-to-date GenBank?
Yes, the local GenBank is updated automatically: ____
Yes, the local GenBank is updated by hand: ____
No, the local GenBank is updated from a quarterly distribution: ___
If you update automatically, what software do you use?
UNIX software from PHRI: ___
VAX/VMS software from NYUMC: ___
Wrote our own for our: ________________ system.
Purchased s/w from: ________________ vendor.
Do you use the check-sequence mailings each week to verify that you got
the week's postings?
Yes: I check by hand: ___
Yes, I use the VAX/VMS program from NYUMC: ___
Yes, I wrote my own for my: ________________ system.
Yes, Purchased s/w from: ________________ vendor.
NO, the data feed is not checked: ___
Do you have or want automatic sequence 'alerting' s/w that will inform
researchers of sequences newly arrived which would be of interest to them?
Yes, I have s/w from: ________________________
Yes, I currently do this by hand: ___
Yes, I am developing such s/w: ___
Yes, our site would use such s/w: ___
NO, there is no need at our site: ___
COMMENTS:
If you check one or other of the following statements, please provide a brief
comment to flesh out the idea.
1) The USENET newsfeed is of no value:
2) The USENET newsfeed is just fine:
3) The USENET newsfeed should be enhanced to include more data (e.g. the
emerging EMBL sequences as they arrive, protein sequences, etc.)
Thanks...
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|Ross Smith, Cell Biology, NYU Medical Center, 550 First Ave., NYC, 10016|
|Phone: (212) 263-5356: FAX: (212) 263-8139 (Alternate NYUMC) (212) 263-7190|
|E-Mail: SMITH at NYUMED.BITNET (BITNET), SMITH at MCCLB0.MED.NYU.EDU (Internet)|
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