Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!uunet!samsung!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!cica!IUBio.Bio.Indiana.Edu!Don.Gilbert
From: Don.Gilbert@IUBio.Bio.Indiana.Edu (Don Gilbert)
Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genbank
Subject: GenBank on Compact Disks ?
Message-ID: <4579@cica.cica.indiana.edu>
Date: 30 Aug 90 17:05:01 GMT
Sender: news@cica.cica.indiana.edu
Lines: 35

Organization: Biology Dept., Indiana University


I am interested in obtaining releases of GenBank via compact disk, if the 
price is reasonable and the CD releases are relatively timely.  David 
Benton,  in a previous posting, mentioned the imminent release of a CD 
pressing of GenBank, so maybe this would be a good time to let us 
netreaders know more about it?   I, and I think other also, would prefer 
not to pump the 50+ MB of compressed GenBank over the Internet every few 
months.

Q1.  I asked this question via paper mail to GenBank a while back but did 
not get the answer that I needed.  I have a Macintosh CD ROM drive that 
understands ISO 9660 and High Sierra file formats, as well as Macintosh 
file format.  I am contemplating purchase of a Sun CD ROM that also 
understands ISO 9660 and High Sierra.  Will the GenBank CD be in one or 
more of these low-level disk formats? 
 
Q2.  The answer I did receive from GenBank was on the high-level formats 
to be included on the CD, the "GenBank/ EMBL/ PIR CD ROM file structure 
proposal".  I think it is great that you are getting together on this 
format, and eventually someone will write software that will allow use of 
the special indexing described for this high level format.   But what I 
need now is a CD that contains the same files that you make available via 
ftp.  This may be answered somewhere in the lengthy CD document, but can 
you tell me now:  Does this GenBank CD contain the same files as you make 
available via ftp?

Q3.  How do I order the CD and how much does it cost for a yearly 
subscription?

Thanks,   Don

Don.Gilbert@iubio.bio.indiana.edu    
biology dept., indiana univ.,  bloomington, in 47405, usa