Subject: Creation of a Usenet Newsgroup for Scientific Data Formats/Models

From: dwells (Don Wells)
Date: Wed, 7 Apr 93 09:32:22 EDT

I am forwarding the appended announcement to sci.astro.fits/fitsbits
because of the obvious relevance. The RFD mentions FITS because I
communicated with the proposers some days ago. I expect that I will
vote YES on this newsgroup because I think that the subject of
scientific data models is fundamental and needs to be discussed in a
multi-disciplinary context.  -Don

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There is currently ongoing discussion in news.groups for the creation
of a Usenet Newsgroup for discussing the storage and retrieval of
scientific data.  There appears to be a consensus for putting this
newsgroup in the sci hierarchy. However, we still need to select a
name. The following names have been proposed:

        sci.data
        sci.datamodels
        sci.dataaccess
        sci.dataformats

I am going to conduct an informal poll this week. Please VOTE for
which of the above names you would recommend we adopt. Informal voting
will take place until Thursday, April 8, 1993 at 11:59pm. Based on the
results of this informal poll, the Call For Votes will most likely be
issued on or about April 9th, 1993.

        Send ALL votes to briand at ncsa.uiuc.edu

The current RFD is Shown below. If you would like to make
additions or deletions to this charter, please also send those changes
to the above address. Discussion is ongoing in news.groups.

- -- Briand Sanderson
NCSA HDF Programmer

======================================================================

REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION:

  of Creation of an UNMODERATED Usenet newsgroup called "sci.<???>"
  for discussing the storage and retrieval of scientific data.

PURPOSE:

  The purpose of the newsgroup "sci.<???>" would be for discussing
  information related to the use of the scientific data formats such
  as HDF, netCDF, FITS, and various others.

  Topics of discussion could include problems encountered using
  specific formats, questions about where to get the code for data
  format programs, discussions of specific uses of data format
  programs, etc.

  It is anticipated that readers of the group would be scientists (and
  software developers) who use data formats/models such as HDF,
  netCDF, and  other such programs.

RATIONALE:

  There are many data formats designed specifically for
  scientific applications.  Many have been adopted as a standard by
  scientific organizations ranging over such diverse fields as
  astronomy, physics, chemistry, medical research, health care, space
  science, atmospheric sciences, earth sciences and environmental
  science.

  It is hoped that the creation of the group, "sci.<???>" will
  encourage and facilitate a greater amount of collaboration and sharing
  of information and experience between individuals and groups.

NEWSGROUP CREATION:

  The discussion period is continuing. It is anticipated that a call
  for votes will occur around April 9, 1993.

  Please post all discussions to "news.groups"
------- End of forwarded message -------

Donald C. Wells             Associate Scientist        dwells at nrao.edu
National Radio Astronomy Observatory                   +1-804-296-0277
520 Edgemont Road                                 Fax= +1-804-296-0278
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-2475 USA            78:31.1W, 38:02.2N