HARPER@CSC.FI ("Robert Harper Finland", CSC) (01/04/91)
Concerning the recent discussion about BITFTP, if I remember correctly
this topic was discussed on the Genbank list a few months ago. To
summarize the thread of the discussion:
1) BITFTP could be used for retrieval of small files within the
BITNET limits.
2) It should not be used for the transfer of megabytes of data.
At one time I thought about writing a BioBit on how to use BITFTP but I
thought better of it since I was afraid that some one would test it out
on GenBank to download megabytes of info.
One of the problems I often run up against is that subscribers to the
BioSci lists often have small DISK QUOTAS, and if they do not regularly
clean out their mail boxes then I begin to see bounced mail... can you
imagine what would happen if someone ordered megabytes of info, and did
not have the storage space to receive it? Don't write a cheque that
your tail can't cash!!!
Regarding TRICKLE in Europe. If you order binaries from a RED server
you can choose to have them delivered either UUENCODED or UXXENCODED.
In either case if the original binary file is LARGE then the TRICKLE
server will split the file into small sections suitable for transport
over BITNET. This is much the same as the way NETSERV@EMBL works.
Now about the purpose of BioNaut. Brian Foley writes:
That other lists would be more appropriate for discussion of general
networking topics, and gives a list of VERY GOOD lists. But then the
biologist has to know which LISTSERV the lists are kept at... and how
to SUBSCRIBE, and then once the FLOOD of messages begins to come in,
often completely unrelated to biology... say from high volume lists
like INFONETS... how to SIGNOFF:-)
Personally I could not stand the hassle of being subscribed to too many
lists just because of the information overload. (I use ANU NEWS so I
can be selective about what I read, and it does not put a stain on my
personal MAILBOX.)
So I would say that BioNauts can be used to encourage other biologists
to experiment with networking and Biocomputing. If you have something
to say then share it. If you have some hint or tip that makes life easy
for you then let others into the secret. Remember all the the messages to
BioNauts are logged at LISTSERV@IRLEARN, and this makes it a valuable
information resource. I would rather run a search on ONE list than
MANY when I want to recover information about networking. Bionauts
is for biologists who know something about networking and want to share
that information, or for those who want to learn what services are
available and how to put them to good use.
Rob "everybody should shine sometime... even if it's only shoes" Harper