> From: THOMPSON at jaguar.csc.wsu.edu ("Steve Thompson: VADMS
> Subject: RE: local database need
> In <1995Feb14.114132.19915 at comp.bioz.unibas.ch> Reinhard Doelz
> <doelz at comp.bioz.unibas.ch> argues for the importance of locally
maintained > databases:
...
> Even though we may be in the minority, I wholeheartedly agree with
> Local databases enable these more complex analyses to be a trivial
> Additionally, local databases enable the VERY novice user to run
...
> it is convenient for everybody to have the data home.
Yes, yes, yes, and again, yes...we just got the latest GCG database
on CD and it is WONDERFUL to be able to do local complex searches
again.
Furthermore, local
> databases REDUCE network traffic and provide backup/alternative
sites. Let's
> all do our part to conserve bandwidth.
Right: it is wonderful, it is good, etc, etc. BUT we out here in
the 2nd-grading-onto-3rd-world cannot necessarily AFFORD the
databases....!!! At $US2000 per annum to maintain the database, it
is WAY outside of our budget, so we have simply done without
completely (until the ver 8.0 upgrade, with which a db came) for
several years, and sent off BLAST searches by email or (recently)
via the Web.
Remember: for quite few users the local cost burden may simply be
too high for us to be good citizens, and keep our traffic local.
_____________________________________________________
| Ed Rybicki, PhD | (ed at molbiol.uct.ac.za) |
| Dept Microbiology | University of Cape Town |
| Private Bag, Rondebosch | 7700, South Africa |
| fax: xx27-21-650 4023 | tel: xx27-21-650 3265 |
| URL: http://www.uct.ac.za/microbiology |
-----------------------------------------------------
