This is just a reminder that when you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to
the ABRF electronic discussion group, you should please send that message
to abrf-request@aecom.yu.edu, NOT to all of our 940+ colleagues at the abrf
discussion address. This time I'm the one taking a vacation, and someone
who fills in for me will be taking care of the mailing list maintenance.
However, I always keep an eye open for someone who forgets, and sends their
subscription messages to all of us. That won't happen for two weeks, so
please send those messages to the abrf-request address. The welcome
message is included below just for reference.
Best regards,
Ruth
Welcome. You have been added to the ABRF electronic discussion group.
This is a busy and successful forum for asking and answering questions,
sharing information, and discussions on a number of scientific as well as
more philosophical topics. The group has approximately 940 members on 6
continents. Topics of discussion include both protein/peptide and nucleic
acid chemistry, sequencing, synthesis, mass spectrometry, amino acid
analysis, optical sensor technology, bioinformatics, and other related
technologies. The topics are not subdivided, since many members cover most
or all areas of interest. As will be described in detail below, we use
special topic headings and reply modes to support our automated archiving
and retrieval system set up to preserve the valuable information exchanged
among our members. It will be helpful if you read this entire message at
this time, and save it for future reference.
Sending Messages:
Please send all questions AND all replies to the following address:
abrf@aecom.yu.edu Replies often elicit new responses. This mechanism
permits us all to share in the knowledge, and amplifies and enriches the
discussion. If you like to use the reply button on your email system, then
please make sure that you use the abrf address to forward the same message
to the rest of us. If you receive responses that have been addressed only
to you, forward them to the abrf address or make a summary and send that
along. If you feel a need to unsubscribe or resubscribe temporarily,
please use the abrf-request@aecom.yu.edu address. In this manner, only the
ABRF administrator will receive this message, not the entire mailing list.
Please note that this mailing list is managed by a person, not a computer.
Therefore, requests for "subscribing" and "unsubscribing" to the group for
vacations and holidays are a courtesy, and cannot be guaranteed.
Many people have requested in the past that each of us use a signature for
our messages. This is usually automated in our mail programs, so that you
don't have to type it each time. It's hard to figure out who is asking or
responding in some cases from a very cryptic email address. It is helpful
also to have an address, telephone and fax number included in the automated
address, just in case alternative paths for transmission are called for.
This needn't be formal. This group ranges in hierarchy from bench
scientists to departmental chair. We're all learning from one another.
Also, it is important not to make fun of someone who makes an error or
displays some ignorance on line. We're supposed to be asking questions for
which we don't know the answer.
Ombudsman:
The ABRF Ombudsman is a special feature. If you have a controversial or
difficult question, response or problem which you would like to post
anonymously, send your message to ombudsmn@aecom.yu.edu (Note the
spelling!) Identifiers will be removed from your message before it is
sent to the mailing list at large.
ABRF WWW Site:
The ABRF WWW homepage is located at http://www.abrf.org This site
provides useful information about the organization and members, and how to
join the abrf. Both current and previous newsletters are also posted, plus
news about research committee studies, ABRF meetings and symposia, and
other activities.
Politics & Advertising:
There is strong feeling among our membership that no political messages be
sent to the list, no matter how important or heartfelt, and certainly no
other junk or nonscientific mail. There should also be no advertising of
any kind.
Header Topics:
Use of header topics helps members identify the nature of each message. It
is also critical for our automatic archiving system (see below), now
located on our Selected Communications Home Page, which ensures that
important information remains available to our community. This site has an
search engine that permits retrieval of messages on particular topics of
interest. Conforming to the topic descriptions listed below and replying
in a way to maintain a string of messages is essential for supporting the
archival and retrieval system.
Header Description
AAA Amino Acid Analysis
Comp Computer analysis and/or database searches
CE Capillary electrophoresis
CHO Carbohydrate analysis
Digest Enzymatic or chemical digestion conditions
DNASeq DNA sequencing
DNASyn DNA synthesis (oligonucleotides)
EBlot Electroblotting
GLP/GMP Compliance and accreditation matters
HPLC HPLC-peptide/protein purification
MolBio Misc. molecular biology matters
MS Mass spectrometry
PCR PCR
PepSyn Peptide synthesis
ProtSeq Protein sequencing
P2D Protein purification by 2-D gel
EqpNeed Equipment need
EqpSale Equipment for sale
JobNeed Those looking for positions vacant
JobOpen Those with vacancies to fill
Nostalgia Just for graybeards and/or whiteheads
Misc None of the above
Archiving and Retrieval of Messages:
All e- mail correspondence has been compiled in a useable form on the WWW
in the "Electronic Discussion Group Archives" under "Communications" as
part of the ABRF homepage (http://www.abrf.org/archives) maintained by Dirk
S. Krapf using archiving software. ABRF will archive the electronic
mailing list messages as they are selected, generating a set of
cross-referenced documents, thus eliminating the need for manual hypertext
markup of electronic messages by archivists. It also stores hypertext
links to other messages. Hypermail archives by date, but messages can be
sorted by author, subject and by "thread." The thread command sorts
messages that are related to each other by being direct replies to a
certain posting, and then replies to that reply, etc. The subject command
sorts alphabetically by message title. There is also a search engine
incorporated and all related ABRF messages can be retrieved by keyword
search. Often it is most efficient to search the Hypermail archives by
subject. However, this requires that all message writers pay attention to
how they name their messages. The easiest way to link your message to the
original communication is to use your
e-mail software "reply" command. This insures that the two messages would
be connected by the "thread" and "subject" commands. If your e-mail system
does not have the direct reply button, it is important to begin the title
of a reply with the <RE:> and the subject you want to link it to. Example:
The original message has Subject: ProtSeq: Unknown peak eluting after Ala.
A reply generated by your e-mail system would have: Subject: Re: ProtSeq:
Unknown peak eluting after Ala. This would automatically be connected to
the original messages in both the "thread" and "subject" categories.
The ABRF mailing list is an effective scientific communications forum. The
attention you pay to your message titles now will help keep our current
discussions accessible forms of information in the future. The ABRF
Education Committee urges you to make use of the suggested message headers
(listed below) which divide messages into subject areas that facilitate the
archiving process, and to respond responsibly to electronic mailings.
Bounced Mail:
There will occasionally be bounced mail that is returned to you several
times. This happens when a host computer is down for maintenance or
repair. The area node computer keeps trying to deliver the message. This
may last for a day, or even several days. At the moment, there is no
remedy but patience. The Eudora program offers a pragmatic solution to
solving some email problems. Eudora is available as freeware from most
university computer support groups. Alternatively contact
eudora-info@qualcomm.com. The superior commercial version is available at
low cost to University users, slightly more to others. It is available for
both Mac and PC, and is very easy to use. 1) create two new mailboxes
using the Eudora Windows pulldown menu, called ABRF and junkmail. 2)
create a filter (Windows pulldown menu) which looks for the word
"subscribe" in <Any Header> AND "abrf" in <Any Header>. The ACTION of such
a filter is "Transfer to Junkmail" mailbox. The other filter looks for
"ABRF" in <Any Header> UNLESS subject contains "subscribe". This filter has
the ACTION transfer to ABRF mailbox. What these two filters do is A) route
all useful ABRF messages into a single mailbox separate from your personal
mail; B) route all subscribe and unsubscribe messages into a single
mailbox, where they may be selected and deleted en masse on occasion. This
process sounds complicated, but is very easy. More sophisticated filters
are possible, but these simple measures alleviate many of the frustrations
people find.