Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!uunet!bionet!citiago.bitnet!arenas
From: arenas@citiago.bitnet (Jaime Arenas)
Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts
Subject: Re: DNA sequence reading techniques
Message-ID: <9007272127.AA07169@genbank.bio.net>
Date: 27 Jul 90 21:19:56 GMT
References: <900727110846.2a400126@Iago.Caltech.Edu>
Sender: daemon@genbank.BIO.NET
Lines: 42


> The next step down is some combination of human and computer, either a
> hand-held pen digitizer or a voice recognition system.  These are
> within our budget and we are trying to get demos in the lab to try
> out.  In the meantime, if you are using one of these (or want to
> suggest an alternative I haven't considered!) we would be very
> interested in your experience and suggestions.



Hi there..

I am very happy with the way I read my sequences and I would not change it
for any other method that I know.

Is as follows:  A computer terminal is set on a table which has a built-in
light box. The table and light box area are large so the terminal can be
to my left, the keyboard to my right and the iluminated autoradiogram in
front of me. So I put my right hand in the keyboard in such a way that each
one of the A,G,C and T are under one of my fingers. This way I dont need
to look at the keyboard or the monitor any more. Then, using my right hand
to guide myself through the sequence it flows (the sequence) directly
to the computer as fast as I can read it.

When I started to do this I had my doubts about the rate of mistakes. However,
I found that mistakes were less than when somebody else is reading an you are
typing. The effort...... it only takes what it takes to read it!!

The cost of it is what it takes to get a good carpenter to make your own
design of the "reading bench" assuming that you already have acomputer.


Of course The Human Genome Proyect may want to use other methods.....


Jaime Arenas Ph.D.                        There is no places,
Division of Biology 147-75                there is beginnings and ends,
CALTECH                                   but nothing is ever forgotten.
Pasadena, CA 91125

ARENAS@CITIAGO.BITNET
ARENAS@IAGO.CALTECH.EDU        (NO, there are no misspellings)