Dear John:
I am one of those that will miss the listserv database. I also
appreciate the fact that you have kept us so nicely informed.
Are there any other databases re-PD which one can pull from.
Sorry to loose the listserv service. I was shocked to see how
few people used it.
Thanks for your assistance,
Henry Guttentag ([log in to unmask])


You wrote:
>
>Since the 27th of March, when the Utoronto changed machines that the
>Listserv ran on some changes have been noticed. While mailing to, and
>receiving mail from the list has basically remained unchanged, some
>traumatic changes have occurred also.
>
>Specifically, the index option for receiving a list of messages at the
end
>of the day, with an opportunity to order the ones you want to receive,
is no
>longer supported. This was an option that those receiving 'to much
mail'
>could use to pick and choose the topic of the day, of their choosing.
This
>option was also useful for those in countries that charge by the
minute online.
>
>The author of the Listserv program has indicated that the index option
will
>return in future versions of the program....in the future.
>
>The database functions that we used the 'tools' for, are not present
in the
>flavors of Listserv that run on the various 'boxes', hosts
institutions are
>converting to. The newer, faster, cheaper machines use different
operating
>systems than the main frame and minis that Listserv was originally
written
>for. The old machines were on a common world-wide network called
Bitnet.
>This network will cease to exist after the end of this year. The
Bitnet
>world is changing to the internet style of addressing and traffic
handling.
>The old Listserv program expected the machine that was running
Listserv to
>be connected to the Bitnet network and sent all of the outgoing mail
to a
>'gateway' which was a Bitnet machine that was connected to not only
Bitnet
>but the internet. Internet mail then was sent directly to the
recipient over
>common carriers, from this 'gateway'. The new machines are connected
>directly to the internet.
>
>WHAT WERE THE DATABASE FUNCTIONS THAT ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE?
>
>Previously every message sent to Parkinsn was indexed with a number
and put
>in the archives. Every message during a particular week was archived
in log
>file. The log files dated from the first message sent to the list to
the
>last. Each one of these log files was like a file cabinet.
>
>
>HOW MANY MESSAGES DO THESE LOG FILES CONTAIN?
>
>Month       Messages/Month     AVG Message/Day
>Feb 95           299                 10
>Mar 95           432                 14
>Apr 95           379                 13
>May 95           486                 16
>Jun 95           459                 15
>Jul 95           592                 20
>Aug 95           789                 26
>Sep 95           776                 26
>Oct 95           630                 21
>Nov 95           778                 26
>Dec 95           652                 22
>Jan 96           727                 24
>
>The first six months in 1995 = 15
>The last six months in 1995  = 25
>
>The length of these messages vary from 2 or 3 lines to 600 to 700
lines.
>Studies and articles in the archives average about the latter.
>
>Under the old Listserv program any thing and everything could be
searched
>using the 'tools'. Under the 'New' Listserv, you can only order
individual
>logfiles using the GET command sent to the listserv. Any searching
will have
>to be done once that file is on your machine. Special software will be
>needed to index the words for specific searches. Ordering logfiles
will
>require longer times to download your mail which the logfiles are sent
as.
>
>The reference works and studies in the archives will be on the most
part
>inaccessable to the bulk of the Parkinsn list subscribers.
>
>The gopher files which some searched online are not being maintained.
The
>machine on which these logfiles reside is due for retirement.
>
>Catching up on messages received while you had your subscription set
to
>nomail will be more difficult now. In order to see those messages you
will
>have to GET the applicable logfiles for that period.
>
>In short, things evolve. In terms of the heritage of the Parkinsn
list, our
>archives have been made inaccessable to many and more difficult to
find the
>proverbial 'needle in the haystack' for those who used to access them
>regularly. The archives were accessed about 30 times a day by those
who made
>use of this resource.
>
>Statistically, only about 1% of the Parkinsn list members made use of
the
>archives and another 2 or 3% who ordered the studies and articles of
the
>"Current Topics...." message monthly. The author of Listserv and his
>successor company, didn't consider the impact of eliminating the
database
>functions from Listserv ported to other machines would have on the
research
>community. Institutions license the software and therefore are the
'end
>user' rather than us, the 'real' end users. We had no voice, nor a
seat at
>the negotiating table. The author was real defensive when it was
announced
>by the researchers that 'the Emperor wore no clothes'.<grin>
>
>HOW WILL I GET BY WITHOUT THE ARCHIVES?
>
>Read your mail, save what interests you. Once you have deleted
it....it will
>be gone.
>
>Other avenues are being sought out.
>
>John Cottingham    "The parkinsn list brings Knowledge, Comfort, Hope,
and
>Homeboy             Friendship to the parkinsonian world."
>LibraryH            Parkinson's Chat on the Undernet 8:30 PM CST -6
Daily.
>                    If you access the Internet through a provider with
a
>[log in to unmask]     PPP/SLIP account, free IRC chat software is
available. WFD
>