Charter for ACEDB-SOFT/bionet.software.acedb

E-mail address:     acedb@net.bio.net

Discussion leader:  Mike Cherry
                    Director of Computing
                    Department of Molecular Biology
                    Massachusetts General Hospital
                    Boston, MA  02114

                    Voice: 617-726-5955
                    FAX:   617-726-6893

                    Internet:  cherry@frodo.mgh.harvard.edu


Charter ACEDB-SOFT/bionet.software.acedb:

Discussions by users and developers of genome databases using the
ACEDB software.

This group includes discussions ranging from construction of new
databases using the ACEDB software, curation of genetic and physical
map information into Ace format, to questions about the use of any of
the species specific databases utilizing the ACEDB software.

As part of the C. elegans genome effort Jean Thierry-Mieg and Richard
Durbin developed a generalized software solution for genome databases.
ACEDB is the name of the software used for the organization,
presentation and storage of genome information. It is also the name of
the first database to use this software, the the C. elegans genome
database. ACEDB includes an X-windows user interface and an
object-like database engine developed specifically for storage of
biological information.

Many groups have begun using ACEDB to create a variety of genome
databases. As of April 1993 three of these groups have released their
databases to the general public and many others are well along in
their development. The number of groups utilizing the ACEDB software
to organize, manipulate and disseminate genome information is
increasing. An informal community of ACEDB developers has formed to
share knowledge and resources. This group allows the community of
developers and users to continue sharing and growing. The archives of
the group also provide a useful resource to both developers and users.