>> What I would like is a LIVE file, e.g., so that any messages to any of
>> the Usenet forums from HARPER would be forwarded to my email account.
>>Well this is not so far fetched as it may sound. It can actually be done
>with WAIS. You could make up a QUESTION that would scan the BioSci.src
>for authors that you want to follow, or particular topics that are of
>interest to you, and on the MAC set the contact query on DAILY and you
>would get a daily update of writings by a particular author, or messages
>covering a particular subject.
>>Rob Harper
That would work in principle, but BioSci.src is updated only once a
week (on Monday morning). Note also that Rob is acting here as a Computer
Pioneer helping Working Biologists to use Polished Software. I'm GLAD he does
this!!!!
In contrast, when Rob posted instructions on how to use KILL files
with rn, my thoughts ran along the lines of a hack or analogous search routine
to do the inverse of suppressing messages. For example, the messages could be
forwarded to the user's email account or a local bboard folder. A recurring
process could be set up so that the Usenet feed would be scanned for authors
that a user or set of users want to follow, or for particular topics that are
of interest, and users could get these selected messages virtually as they
arrive.
We're not a Unix site using rn, and for all I know rn does have such a
feature, or other software which can do this is available. It's also a poor
example because system_manager/hacker Usenet/List forums do exist for NEWS
software. But its too bad we can't create a bionet/BIOSCI forum for molbio
system managers and hackers where we exchange, discuss and refine useful
hacks, shells, scripts, subroutines and quicky programs (i.e., not yet
polished software packages for archives) -- because some of the postings would
be longish and some people with restrictive QUOTAS might subscribe causing
bounce-backs -- or a mailing loop if one occurs again would be exacerbated.
I'll accept it, but it's too bad ;-(.
Fote
=========================================================================
Foteos Macrides Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology
MACRIDES at WFEB2.BITNET 222 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545
No one else at the WFEB knows how to set up DISK QUOTAS, and I'll
never do it or tell how!! If an assertive broadcast to PURGE and
DELETE doesn't recover enough space, we need another disk!!!!!!!!
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