HARPER@finfun.bitnet ("Robert Harper ", Finland) (01/10/90)
Well there have been quite a few responses to BioBit No 12 regarding the
setting up of a BIONAUTS list. Here are some of the comments so far.
(The names have been removed to protect the innocent:-)
============No 1
Rob,
If you really are keen to take this task upon yourself 8-)
Good luck! I wonder how many may have read all the way through the
initial technical description and saw your request though. You might
want to repost your call for addresses in a more prominent message.
=============No 2
Dear Rob, I have just seen both your BIOBIT suggestion for
a Who's who and the Bionews note. I certainly like very much
that idea, at least while working DIRECTORIES are still
unavailable.
==============No 3
Absolutely one of the things we need.
Another one I dream about is a real list of lists, I mean a list of
lists that:
1) contains every interest group (if it's possible) on the networks
(including UUCP, Fido, and I don't know what strange new net)
Good luck with your Bionaut Project.
===============No 4
I think it would be great to be able to identify local people who
are network knowledgable biologists. (On the other hand, it might
be depressing to discover that there is nobody...)
=================END
It looks like "how to do it" manuals are often unread and I am reminded
of the following quote...
"...Then anyone who leaves behind him a written manual, and likewise
anyone who receives it, in the belief that such writing will be clear
and certain, must be exceedingly simple-minded..."
Plato, _Phaedrus_ 275d
It struck me that there had been many different interperatations of
what I said in BioBit No 12 regarding BIONAUTS. So I had better make
a clear statement of what I think it should be, and how it could be
organised.
1) BIONAUTS would be a list situated on a LISTSERV. It would
contain information on scientists who work in molecular
biology, biotechnology, microbiology, or any related life
science.
2) The information would be "non-sensitve" meaning that it would
be similar to the type of information found in a phone book.
3) The information would be available to all the members who are
SUBSCRIBED to the BIONAUTS list. It would provide lists of
network addresses, telephone and fax numbers, postal
addresses, as well as give descriptions of each members
particular area of expertise. The information would be aimed
at helping scientists making contacts on electronic networks.
4) To enter the data in BIONAUTS each and every subscriber would
have to send ONE mail messages containing their personal data
to the LIST. A BLANK form would be sent to every subscriber
to facilitate the entry of their data, and to ensure that all
entries have a similar format.
5) The BIONAUTS list would be searchable using the LDBASE
utility already available on the network.
At the moment I have not received enough replies to warrent
the setting up of a list... so if you missed out the first
time around, but still want to do something about it then
drop me a message at HARPER@FINFUN with YES for BIONAUTS
in the subject line. If I get sufficient votes then I will
see about arranging something... and if I don't then the time
is still not ripe for BIONAUTS.
Rob "you mean to say a Bionaut will one day
have the same status as an Astronaut...
sign me up Wilbur..." Harper