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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 >