The description of electronic notebooks/journals as having no legal
value is not entirely true - if the system is 21CFR compliant, it is as
good as a paper notebook in terms of authentication.
The real problem is that there has not yet been a court case involving
electronic notebooks. The security features, however, are as good if
not better (digital signatures, system encryption of metadata for
time/date, etc.) than for paper.
If you want more information on electronic journals/notebooks, please
contact me at wolfgang.rumpf at rescentris.com
In article <Ne53b.9101$6g.2897 at charlie.risq.qc.ca>,
Ergo Sum <google at home.com> wrote:
> Philipp Wechner wrote:
>> > Hi out there!
> >
> > I am tired of doing my lab journal on paper and glue in the prints of my
> > gels.
> > Does anybody know a good program to do a lab journal on the PC
> > (Windows). A good search tool for this journal would also bee nice....
> >
> > any solutions?
>> I know of none for Windoze.
>> There is a solution for Linux:
>> Elog: The Electronic Logbook package by Stefan Ritt (Current version is :
> 2.3.9)
>http://midas.psi.ch/elog/>> It is bezond anything you dream, and it's *FREE*, as in speech. It's also
> *FREE* as in beer, and that makes it all the better.
>> *HOWEVER* I must *_WARN_* you:
> Electronic log-books have no legal value in research laboratories. However
> much you hate (as do I) the paper and glue thing, it is the only one held
> as official. Should you have any kind of problems (pattent application,
> /ars/ /ante/ proofs, confidentiality breach, fraud charges or many others
> known to exist in lab environnements), your electronic logbook will not be
> considered as valid, since it is easier to forge than its paper
> counterpart.
>> Use the elog if you wish, but keep your paper version working, for you never
> know the blows destiny still will toll upon thee.
>> If you fail to heed my advise on this topic, I do recommend you burn regular
> backups of your logged work in a non-rewrtitable CD-ROM, and that you keep
> printed versions of what you store there. CYA (Cover Your Ass), so they
> say.
>> Cheers.
