Year Subscribers Posts
----+-----------+-----
1993 137 77
1994 168 152
1995 234 231
1996 329 361
1997 542 305
1998 567 276
1999 638 311
2000 779 374
2001 862 295
2002 900 233
2003 998 248
2004 1,107 228
2005 1,265 286
2006 1,383 272
2007 1,484 297
2008 1,625 262
2009 1,754 266
2010 1,882 319
2011 2,139 479
2012 2,326 489
2013 2,497 482
2014 2,582 289
2015 2,858 313
2016 3,044 301
2017 2,985 265
2018 3,128 285
2019 3,205 226
- Counts for previous years were all from year-end records except
the current year which are live updates
- Last update:
10:10PM, 10/18/2019
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Notes on AnGenMap Development
Origin
The AnGenMap discussion mailing list was started in 1993 on Iowa State
University's Vincent Unix system using mail forward list with an account alias
to serve the AnGenMap group mailing.
Transit
In late 1998 the list was transferred to a SmartList
Mailing Listserv customized on a DEC Unix system, where handling of postings,
subscription / unsubscription and other list maintenance functions were
automated. During the years 2000-2005, web interfaces
were developed for the ease of use of the list with a number of web functions (e.g.
sub/ unsub /info /help for users, and sub/unsub helper tool for list managers)
to have effectively helped minimizing the management workloads. A number of
patches were also added to take care some of the listserv
management routines and enhence the ability to fight against Spam among other
unwanted mails. Procmail based Spam filters were continuely
added/tuned over time.
Developments
In the spring of 1999, a web-based member directory was
developed, which is coupled with the listserv to handle some of the user requests
and membership management tasks. In 2007 the system was given an overhaul
for better security and easy management. The new utilities included a
user profile manager, which allows users to list alternative
emails (for posting) and change subscription options settings. A
web post interface was added in 2008 as an alternative to traditional
sending email posts. This helps to avoide a number of routine posting problems
with email (such as unintentional HTML content, text format, and spam filtering).
In 2010 a file share platform
was developed for AnGenMap members to share non-ascii or large files as oppose
to email attachments which are not processed under cyber-safety considerations.
As the list was turned to a moderated mode in 2012, a
moderator's switchbox tool was developed for multiple moderators to review
and approve posts. In 2013, a mail digest function was
made available for subscribers who do not wish to receive instant email posts.
The Digest service sends users weekly "recent posts" summary and relay reading of
the mails to web links (as opposed to traditional Mail Diegest which piles all
"recent" mails into one email body). The option to use this function is managed
through the user profile settings in the member's directory. Also in 2013,
all archived mails are processed into web accessible hyper mails
threaded by dates, by subjects, or by authors. In the meanwhile, web
posting forms are made available also on public web pages, leaving the security
control layer behind the scene. In 2014, the moderator's switchbox
was improved to include a function for cleaning mail text mixed with
quoted-printables. In 2016, the moderator's switchbox
was improved to include a tool for decoding MIME coded mail text.
Since 2010, the AnGen Dir profile management system started
to serve as a generic user authentication management tool for controled access to
services on the AnimalGenome.ORG such as several listserv moderator tools, FAANG
membership management, working group management, VCF file repository data ownership
management, and NAGRP File sharing platform, etc.
In addition, a Frequently Asked Quetions (FAQ)
list has been developed and maintained since 2008.
— Zhiliang Hu (May 1999; ... Nov 2017)
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