kristoff@NET.BIO.NET (Dave Kristofferson) (01/19/89)
Computerizing the biological sciences is a difficult task. Sometimes, however, something happens which can move the field forward if enough people simply speak up. I have had further discussions with the publications group at the American Society of Microbiology (ASM). They recently started sending BIONET the Table of Contents for the Journal of Bacteriology in advance of publication, and we have started distributing this information via the BIOSCI bulletin board network. This is a small, but important first step in encouraging more journals to distribute information electronically, and we would like to encourage them and other journals to increase their participation. Following ASM's first move, another journal has, in fact, opened discussions with me along similar lines and I hope to be able to make another announcement about these developments soon. The prospects for further progress are definitely present. HOWEVER, before ASM invests further effort in this venture, they would like some feedback from us about how valuable the service is to users. It apparently costs them $X to produce and mail the information to us for the Table of Contents and even more money if they were to include abstracts of each article. Depending upon response, they may also put parts of other ASM journals on-line. THEREFORE, if you find this kind of information of value to you, PLEASE send a reply to this message to me (kristoff@net.bio.net or kristofferson@bionet-20.bio.net). (DON'T reply to the bulletin board in this case!!!) This is an Internet address so users on some machines may have to use addressing tricks such as in%"kristoff@net.bio.net" to reply. If you have any difficulty acknowledging mail, PLEASE ask your local computer systems person about how to reply to this message. It is very important that EVERYBODY interested in furthering this effort reply! In general, mass appeals, regular hardcopy mailings, etc., are amazingly successful if more than a small fraction of readers actually reply, so I am being naively optimistic that you electronic mail readers are a dedicated bunch willing to do your part to further these efforts. Even a blank message will acknowledge to me that you read the appeal, so every bit (no pun) helps. I need replies from people not only on the BIONET computer (they can mail to KRISTOFFERSON) but from anyone anywhere in the world that sees this and is interested. Unfortunately with the multiple forwardings of BIOSCI bulletin board messages and distribution via USENET we have no way of telling how many people now actually see the bulletins. What we are doing in effect is asking everyone around the world in every library (electronic in this case) who picks this article up to let us know that they have read it! [I must be crazy even trying such a stunt! :-) ] I am opening myself up to a potentially lethal barrage of mail by sending out this appeal so please don't expect an answer to your acknowledgements. I will have to simply keep a tally of responses. Please be generous and take a minute of your time now to help develop the future!! THANK YOU!!!!! Dave Kristofferson BIONET Resource Manager kristoff@net.bio.net or kristofferson@bionet-20.bio.net
AMCLOUGH@irlearn.bitnet ("AIDEN J. McLOUGHLIN") (01/19/89)
Dear Dave, I believe that your efforts with ASM are vital to Scientific development. I hope that you get the cooperation you deserve. Regards, Aiden J. McLoughlin Lecturer, Department of Industrial Microbiology University College, Dublin, Ireland.