January 1996 - chemweb - imperial.ac.uk

Re: PURLs (Persistent URLs)
by h.rzepa＠ic.ac.uk 09 Jan '96

09 Jan '96

>It seems to resolve itself (!) into >http://www.oclc.org:6990 >and there is no mention of PURLs! Also they have a search engine and >"PURL" gets no hits. > >However , I am a supporter of OCLC and I am sure this is only a temporary >problem. Did you have more info? - where did it come from? There will be more in the very near future! > >Someone has to pay for this - how's it going to work? If we see URLs as >a superset of DNS names, it's clear that there will have to be >distributed servers for PURLs along the lines of DNS but more so. There >will be many more PURLs than telephone numbers in the world unless only >the toplevel is taken. Ah. Who pays!! Actually, the PURL resolver has got to become distrubuted, much like the DNS ystem. We need one in the UK for example. I guess we watch this space Dr Henry Rzepa, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College, LONDON SW7 2AY; rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk via Eudora Pro 2.1.3; Tel (44) 171 594 5774; Fax: (44) 171 594 5804. World-Wide Web URL: http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/rzepa/ ----- chemweb: A list for Chemical Applications of the Internet. Archived as: http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/hypermail/chemweb/ To unsubscribe, send to listserver(a)ic.ac.uk the following message; unsubscribe chemweb List coordinator, Henry Rzepa (rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk)

1 0

PURLs (Persistent URLs)
by h.rzepa＠ic.ac.uk 09 Jan '96

09 Jan '96

The problem of unmaintained or relocated URLs is a major one. In one major collection of around 150 I created in October 1994, only around 80 were still operational one year later. Furthermore, as an author, if you decide to move to a new server or indeed a new institute, it is almost impossible for you to notify everyone who might have linked to you. We all thought URNs were the problem, but for reasons I do not fully understand (expense?) these are not functional yet. However, PURLs are! See e.g. http://purl.oclc.org/net/intercat Here purl.oclc.org is a URL resolver. Register your URL with them (and re-register if it moves) and in theory everyone will continue to be able to find your documents. This is much implication for journals, and all other sorts of permanent or semi-permanent documents. The system is not quite working yet, but it will soon be so! More info when I get it. Dr Henry Rzepa, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College, LONDON SW7 2AY; rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk via Eudora Pro 2.1.3; Tel (44) 171 594 5774; Fax: (44) 171 594 5804. World-Wide Web URL: http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/rzepa/ ----- chemweb: A list for Chemical Applications of the Internet. Archived as: http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/hypermail/chemweb/ To unsubscribe, send to listserver(a)ic.ac.uk the following message; unsubscribe chemweb List coordinator, Henry Rzepa (rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk)

2 1

Re: Molecule of the Month
by h.rzepa＠ic.ac.uk 04 Jan '96

04 Jan '96

> >Speaking of MOTMs, with the scheme as it currently stands (one new molecule >a month) the deadline for the next MOTM submission will be March 1st. >Any takers...? I wonder how we might check to see if a MOTM is operating in the USA? I do remember seeing something some time ago. Might be a) nice to link if there is b) Nice to act as a global centre if there is not! Might I also suggest that we try to make available 3D coordinates for each molecule. Initially, these could be pdb, and we would need to describe the chemical/x-pdb MIME type to people so that they can configure their browser accordingly. Shortly, we expect to introduce Java Applets as well (see http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/clic/pop.html) so that the images will not necessarily need a separate program and its configuration. If anyone wants to use other properties (JCAMP for NMR spectra; by the way, Bruker software will write out NMR spectra in JCAMP format, Smiles strings, etc etc) please let us know so that we can all document what has been done. If you have not seen it, take a look at an early project by Ben Whitaker and myself; http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/chemical_mime.html Dr Henry Rzepa, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College, LONDON SW7 2AY; rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk via Eudora Pro 2.1.3; Tel (44) 171 594 5774; Fax: (44) 171 594 5804. World-Wide Web URL: http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/rzepa/ ----- chemweb: A list for Chemical Applications of the Internet. Archived as: http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/hypermail/chemweb/ To unsubscribe, send to listserver(a)ic.ac.uk the following message; unsubscribe chemweb List coordinator, Henry Rzepa (rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk)

2 1

Molecule of the Month
by Paul May 04 Jan '96

04 Jan '96

Hi, >I wonder how we might check to see if a MOTM is operating in the USA? >I do remember seeing something some time ago. Might be >a) nice to link if there is >b) Nice to act as a global centre if there is not! I don't know of one. Maybe we're the first... >Might I also suggest that we try to make available 3D coordinates >for each molecule. Initially, these could be pdb, and we would need to >describe >the chemical/x-pdb MIME type to people so that they can configure their >browser accordingly. It would be nice, but not essential. After all, not everyone (especially students) has access to the databases where these coords are stored. One of the reasons I wrote the aspirin MOTM was that I had access to the 3D structure in alc format, which is compatible with rasmol. I'm in the process now of getting an account with the Daresbury chemical databases so that I can get more pdb and alc files for future MOTM pages. > Shortly, we expect to introduce Java Applets as well > (see http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/clic/pop.html) so that the images will not > necessarily need a separate program and its configuration. Again, that would make the pages look superb. But Java is still quite rare at the moment... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr Paul May, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, UK tel: +44 (0)117 9287667, fax: +44 (0)117 9251295 email: paul.may(a)bris.ac.uk WWW: http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chemistry/staff/pwm.htm "Another squashed hedgehog in the gutter of the information superhighway" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- chemweb: A list for Chemical Applications of the Internet. Archived as: http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/hypermail/chemweb/ To unsubscribe, send to listserver(a)ic.ac.uk the following message; unsubscribe chemweb List coordinator, Henry Rzepa (rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk)

1 0

Molecule of the Month
by Paul May 04 Jan '96

04 Jan '96

Hi, >> I've just created a sort of home page for the MOTMs at: >> >> http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chemistry/MOTM/motm.htm >> >> which hopefully will contain a pointer list to all the future MOTMs. >> Henry's one is number one on the list, and I'll be adding the second >> (*aspirin*, which I wrote over Xmas) on Feb 1st. >Is there any reason to wait? I was thinking that EACH site would add >a molecle a month! It all depends on the response we get from the various other chemistry web sites. At least initially, I was expecting the response to be slow, with only a few (enthusiastic) people contributing the occassional MOTM. After all, it does take a few hours and a bit of library work to write a MOTM page. So I thought a month would be about right to give someone else a chance to write a MOTM page. But if some of the ideas put forward on this list (students doing MOTM pages instead of a tutorial, or as a departmental competition,...) start up, then we might have a lot more MOTM pages available - in which case there would be no need to wait a month... >> If you are thinking of contributing to the MOTM, write the page and let me >> know its URL and I'll add it to the list at the beginning of the next >> available month. >Do you want to go ahead and approach say New Scientist? I'd rather wait until we had a few more, say 6 or so, MOTMs, so that the idea looks as if it's working. We're almost half way there now - one MOTM is on-line, another is ready and waiting for Feb 1st, and I've got one prepared for a few month's time. When we've shown the idea has merit, then we could approach New Scientist, say, and see if they want to do a couple of paragraphs on it. That should certainly get us some more people contributing to the MOTMs! Speaking of MOTMs, with the scheme as it currently stands (one new molecule a month) the deadline for the next MOTM submission will be March 1st. Any takers...? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr Paul May, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, UK tel: +44 (0)117 9287667, fax: +44 (0)117 9251295 email: paul.may(a)bris.ac.uk WWW: http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chemistry/staff/pwm.htm "Another squashed hedgehog in the gutter of the information superhighway" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- chemweb: A list for Chemical Applications of the Internet. Archived as: http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/hypermail/chemweb/ To unsubscribe, send to listserver(a)ic.ac.uk the following message; unsubscribe chemweb List coordinator, Henry Rzepa (rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk)

1 0

Molecule of the month
by Paul May 03 Jan '96

03 Jan '96

Hi, Happy New Year to everyone! > We got as far as > getting Nature to allow us to use a gif of one molecule. The idea was > that students would as part of the course contribute protein molecules > they found interesting. That's a good idea. Maybe if it was presented to the undergrads as a sort of competition might get them to create some good pages...? > What addtional info is there with the molecule? Connection table, phys > data, reactions, etc. Whatever you like, really. But I think the aim should be to keep the pages interesting and concise. Pages of dull textbook recitation should be avoided. > Perhaps you should aim to show the diversity of > chemistry as well as the topicality. For example - what (other than H2O) > is the 'commonest molecule?', the cheapest? I agree. We want loads of different types of molecules, from proteins to inorganic crystals, rocks to interstellar gas... > IF you get it going, then people will gather round the successful idea. I hope so... I've just created a sort of home page for the MOTMs at: http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chemistry/MOTM/motm.htm which hopefully will contain a pointer list to all the future MOTMs. Henry's one is number one on the list, and I'll be adding the second (*aspirin*, which I wrote over Xmas) on Feb 1st. If you are thinking of contributing to the MOTM, write the page and let me know its URL and I'll add it to the list at the beginning of the next available month. I've got another MOTM in preparation (I was bored over Xmas, as you can probably see :-) ), which will be about *diamond*. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr Paul May, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, UK tel: +44 (0)117 9287667, fax: +44 (0)117 9251295 email: paul.may(a)bris.ac.uk WWW: http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chemistry/staff/pwm.htm "Another squashed hedgehog in the gutter of the information superhighway" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- chemweb: A list for Chemical Applications of the Internet. Archived as: http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/hypermail/chemweb/ To unsubscribe, send to listserver(a)ic.ac.uk the following message; unsubscribe chemweb List coordinator, Henry Rzepa (rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk)

1 0

Re: Delivering Chemistry Tutorials using the Web
by Joel Crisp 02 Jan '96

02 Jan '96

Hi > From chemweb(a)ic.ac.uk Thu Dec 21 13:15:40 1995 > Date: Thu, 21 Dec 1995 13:24:29 GMT > Originator: chemweb(a)ic.ac.uk > From: "Stuart J. Fairall" <sfairall(a)dmu.ac.uk> > To: Multiple recipients of list <chemweb(a)ic.ac.uk> > Subject: Re: Delivering Chemistry Tutorials using the Web > X-Listserver-Version: 6.0 -- UNIX ListServer by Anastasios Kotsikonas > X-Comment: Chemistry Webmasters Discussion list > > > For the past year, our Educational Technology Service have been developing a > > system to deliver multiple-choice tutorial questions using the web. It's > > based on an HTML-compatible language called TML (Tutorial Markup Language), > > and allows several different question types, with automatic logging of > > the student's score, etc. > > Very impressed with the scope TML allows. Its structured > format would allow easy generation of source, all be it with > a fair amount of typing. Thanks ;-) We are working on specification of a '<DEFAULTS>' tag for answers and scoring. > But would its primary role be to assess or to instruct. ie. > should wrong answers yield an informative response. If the Each possible answer may have its own response message - see the <RESPONSES> tag. A typical use of this from our Obs & Gyn department is to point to the web resource containing the correct answer, and give a line of description informing the student why the answer choosen was incorrect. > instructional element is missing then its appeal to users > would be low and probably only for required testing. If an > instructional role is expected then I think users will be > put of by the thought of logged scoring. Logged scoring will be an option in future. The system may already be used in an anonymous fashion by automatically generating a new random UID for each session. > > Password access would also greatly reduce the number of users > and really might well restrict it to the realms of LAN based > CAL packages. We have a password administration program for the CERN web server which will allow a very flexible setup. As already mentioned, you can use it in a non-password anonymous mode. > > > > I've just written an example tutorial in TML using Chemistry-based > > questions and it's now on-line on our ETS server at: > > > > http://www.ets.bris.ac.uk/ets/resource/tutorial/tutorial.htm > > A nice demonstration. Even though the original demo illustrated > the styles available having, the material in context shows the > potential more. > I didnt realise toluene would nitrate in the meta position. > ----- > chemweb: A list for Chemical Applications of the Internet. > To unsubscribe, send to listserver(a)ic.ac.uk the following message; > unsubscribe chemweb > List coordinator, Henry Rzepa (rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk) > > If you have any more questions/suggestions/comments, please feel free to mail me ( I am the author of the system... ;-) ) BTW, if anyone authors a tutorial, please let me know so I can start to build a links page to all the ones out there ;-) Joel ---- Joel.Crisp(a)bris.ac.uk | ets-webmaster(a)bris.ac.uk Joel Crisp, Software Engineer, Educational Technology Service, University of Bristol, UK ----- chemweb: A list for Chemical Applications of the Internet. Archived as: http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/hypermail/chemweb/ To unsubscribe, send to listserver(a)ic.ac.uk the following message; unsubscribe chemweb List coordinator, Henry Rzepa (rzepa(a)ic.ac.uk)

1 0