CALL FOR DISCUSSION: ZBRAFISH/bionet.organisms.zebrafish

[David Kristofferson]

We have received a proposal below for a new newsgroup,

ZBRAFISH/bionet.organisms.zebrafish

Discussion on the following proposal will now be open through 12 June
on BIOFORUM/bionet.general (*not* on BIONEWS/bionet.announce).  For
those who are not on the BIOFORUM/bionet.general newsgroup currently,
either read bionet.general on USENET or contact one of the following
biosci addresses to sign up by e-mail:

Subscription Address                 Location
--------------------                 --------
biosci at daresbury.ac.uk               Europe, Africa, and Central Asia
biosci at net.bio.net                   Americas and the Pacific Rim

One warning, however: BIOFORUM/bionet.general is a "chatty" newsgroup
and many other items will be discussed there besides this newsgroup
proposal.  USENET news access is definitely better than e-mail if you
want to monitor only this discussion.

Discussion Guidelines
---------------------
Please do not post one-line messages saying things like "I am in favor
of such a newsgroup".  We will collect votes later.  The discussion
period is an opportunity for anyone to bring up reservations about the
proposed charter below and to propose modifications prior to the vote.
If the charter is perfect as is, then there is no need for anyone to
say anything!!!

The newsgroup discussion leader may submit a revised proposal in light
of the discussion, and the new charter would be included in the call
for votes which will go out on 13 June (Newsgroup Discussion leaders -
please note this deadline - if no revisions are received before the
deadline, the original charter will be voted on.).

Please be aware that only one vote is counted per e-mail address, so
it is necessary to have your own account in order to vote.  Multiple
votes from the same address are not accepted.  If you are interested
in the following newsgroup, but do not have an e-mail address of your
own, please obtain one from your computer center before the call for
votes is issued.

The proposal is being distributed to other forums as indicated below.

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Proposal to create          ZBRAFISH/bionet.organisms.zebrafish

   Usenet newsgroup name:   bionet.organisms.zebrafish

   Status:                  not moderated

   Mailing list name:       ZBRAFISH

   Mailing list addresses:  zbrafish at net.bio.net
                            zbrafish at daresbury.ac.uk


Discussion Leaders:         Richard Vogt
                            University of South Carolina
                            Department of Biological Sciences
                            Columbia, SC  29208
                            vogt at biol.scarolina.edu

                            Una Smith
                            Department of Biology
                            Yale University
                            New Haven, CT  06520-8104
                            smith-una at yale.edu

Charter:

A newsgroup and linked mailing list for discussion of the Zebrafish
(Danio rerio), a popular species for the study of the molecular
genetics of early development, to exchange pertinent information,
both technical and biologicial, among people who study this organism.


Justification:

The use of the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a molecular genetic model 
for early development has increased dramatically over the last 
decade.  This increase is highlighted by recent reviews in Nature 
(May 5, p. 59) and Science (May 13, p. 904) discussing significant 
genetic mapping and mutational/developmental studies, and by a recent 
meeting at Cold Spring Harbor (CSH) Laboratories, "Zebrafish 
Development and Genetics", which drew around 325 participants.  The 
number of laboratories involved in Zebrafish research is increaseing 
at an astounding rate, as is the distribution of these laboratories 
throughout the world.  A specific request was made by participants at 
the CSH meeting to establish increased computer networking so that 
information regarding Zebrafish research could be more rapidly 
distributed and exchanged, and so that community ties could be 
maintained.  Partly in response to this request, Dick Vogt and others
have established a Zebrafish WWW server ("zebra.scarolina.edu"); 
however, such servers are still not highly interactive.  

We would like to propose the formation of a new group devoted to 
research on Zebrafish and related species.  This newsgroup will
help maintain close ties between all Zebrafish researchers and will 
complement existing avenues of information dissemination, including 
a regular Zebrafish Development and Genetics Meeting (2 year cycle), 
the Zebrafish Monitor (a semi-annual newsletter) and developing 
database servers.

Formation of this newsgroup would provide:

    A source of quick help on research methods particular to 
    Zebrafish, including colony maintenance questions and the
    exchange of breeding stocks.

    A timely, rapid vehicle for announcements about workshops
    and meetings, and other news.

    A public forum for open-ended discussion and debate about
    difficult community-wide issues, such as conventions for 
    naming new genes.

    A forum for new Zebrafish researchers to become acquainted
    and develop personal networks within the community.

    An archive of searchable information for future use by
    Zebrafish researchers and others.


Adminstrative details:

Although Dick Vogt is enthusiastic about serving as the discussion
leader of the proposed bionet.organisms.zebrafish newsgroup, he will
be on an island for much of the summer.  He has access to Usenet
from the island, but will check in less frequently than usual, by
modem, thus Una Smith will lead discussion of the proposal for this
newsgroup.

This proposal will be publicized in the Zebrafish bulletin edited
by Monte Westerfield at U. of Oregon, on the Zebrafish Web archive,
by word of mouth within the Zebrafish research community, and on
several mailing lists having to do with fish:  FISHFOLK, KILLIES,
FISH-ECOLOGY and FISHERIES.  Suggestions for other relevant places
to mention the proposal are welcome.

        Una Smith                               smith-una at yale.edu

Department of Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT  06520-8104  USA
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