Computers & Geosciences Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 617-618, 1993 Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in Great Britain

ANNOUNCEMENT

ORG-GEOCHEM: AN ELECTRONIC INFORMATION EXCHANGE FOR ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY AND

RELATED FIELDS OF STUDY

BRYN JONES Newcastle Research Group in Fossil Fuels and Environmental Geochemistry, Drummond Building,

The University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K.

(Received 13 March 1992; accepted 30 June 1992)

INTRODUCTION

Org-Geochem is an electronic group discussion list for organic geochemistry and related topics such as petroleum geochemistry, environmental geochem- istry, and biogeochemistry. It 's aim is to improve the flow of information between workers in these areas. It is focused primarily, but not exclusively, at aca- demic users, although active industrial participation also is welcomed. The service may be used for transmitting any relevant information but will be most useful for disseminating news, and as a forum for queries and discussion. Org-Geochem is adminis- tered by the National Mailbase Server, operated by the Newcastle University based JNT Networked In- formation Services Project (NISP).

Mailbase was designed for ease of use by noncom- puting specialists. It 's basis is that messages sent to a particular list are received by all members of the list. Information is transmitted in the form of electronic mail (e-mail), using the JANET network, which links all UK universities and polytechnics. The first list was set up in January 1990, and there are now about 3000 users and 90 lists. Org-Geochem is a recent addition, opened in February 1992. Membership is growing and includes users from Australia, Canada, France, Spain, the UK, and the USA.

List members who wish to distribute a message send it to Org-Geochem by e-mail. Mailbase then circulates the message to all other members of the Org-Geochem list, who receive it as e-mail in the normal way. Registering with Org-Geochem is simple, although potential users must have an e-mail address and access to the JANET network, just send the e-mail message: join org-geochem firstname last- name (replacing firstname and lastname with your own names) to Mailbase (Table 1). Having registered, users receive some introductory information, and begin to receive messages sent to Org-Geochem.

ADDRESSES

To use Org-Geochem you will need two e - m a i l addresses, that of Org-Geochem, and that of Mail-

base. Messages intended for circulation to other scientists are sent to Org-Geochem. Mailbase com- mands should be sent to Mailbase. You also may need the address of the Org-Geochem list owner who is concerned with list related problems, and the Mailbase helpline address. These are summarized in Table 1.

MAILBASE COMMANDS

Mailbase commands allow users to control their list membership, to get help, and to gain access to the message archives, and files attached to a list. Any number of Mailbase commands may be sent in a single message so long as each is on a separate line. Mailbase is not case sensitive when interpreting com- mands. Some of the more frequently used Mailbase commands are summarized in Table 2.

New users can request a copy of the Mailbase User's Guide, by sending send mailbase user-guide to Mailbase. A reference card with a printed summary of Mailbase commands can be obtained by sending an e-mail message, including your full postal address, to janet-liaison-desk@uk.ac.jnt and asking for the Mailbase Reference Card.

FUTURE PLANS

Org-Geochem is a new list. To prosper it needs members. I anticipate that it will have members in most institutions with organic geochemical interests within 1 year. If the list is proved to be successful in the fairly specialist field of organic geochemistry a related list for geochemistry will follow in 1993.

CONCLUSIONS

Org-Geochem is an electronic method for group communication amongst scientists with an interest in organic geochemistry, defined in the broadest terms. It operates under the Mailbase system which has been designed for ease of use by noncomputer specialists. Messages sent to the Org-Geochem e-mail address

617

618 Announcement

Table 1. E-mail addresses for use with Org-Geochem

AIM OF MESSAGE

Messages for Org-Geochem circulation

Mailbase comm*~tq

To contact the Org-Geochem list owner

Ccanments fc~ Mailbase staff

EMAIL ADDRESS

org-geochem @uk.ac.mailbase

mailbase @ uk.ae.mailbase

org-gcochem-request @ ulcae.mailbase

mailbase-helpline @ uk.ac.mailbase

Table 2. Summary of useful Mailbase commands . Text in italics should be replaced by the appropriate name

MAILBASE COMMAND

join lismame firsmame lasmame

leave

stop

review//smame

index L/smame

send lismame filename

help

DESCR1P~ON

Adds new user to a list

Removes user fmca list

Used after other Mailbase COmmAnds tO prevent Mailbase Izying tO

~ t an email siglmture as a command

Requests a brief desca'iption of a list including it's current members

Used to obtain bt'ief descriptions of any files attached to a list

Requests a copy of a file attached to a list

RcqlJt~'~ a lannmat-y Of ~lailbo.s¢ COmmands

EXAMPLE

join org-geochem John Smith

leave org-geochem

leave org-geochem

stop

review org-geochem

index org-geochem

send org-geochem Anissa

help

a re c i r cu la t ed a u t o m a t i c a l l y to all reg is te red m e m b e r s

o f the list, a n d rece ived as n o r m a l e-mai l . T h e list is

n e w a n d h a s a g r o w i n g m e m b e r s h i p . I t a l lows r ap id

c o m m u n i c a t i o n b e t w e e n w o r k e r s w i t h re la ted in ter -

es ts , o n a po ten t i a l ly i n t e r n a t i o n a l bas is , a n d it is free

to use. U l t i m a t e l y success will d e p e n d o n the ex t en t

to w h i c h it is u s e d wi th in the geosc ience c o m m u n i t y ,

a n d the e n t h u s i a s m o f the users .