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AnGenMap Development History

 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     3,209     290
 2020     3,184     272
 2021     3,164     301
 2022     2,930     313
 2023     3,058     279
 2024     3,160     248
  • Data current as of Nov 19, 2024
  • Counts for previous years were from each year-end record.

  • Origin

    • The AnGenMap discussion mailing list was started in 1993 on Iowa State University's Vincent Unix system on a psuedo account with a mail forward setup to serve the 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 to couple with the listserv for handling some of the user requests and membership management tasks using web tools. In 2007 the system was given an overhaul for better security and easier 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 web interface was added in 2008 as an alternative to traditional email methods, which is effective to by-pass a number of filters for spam, format, and sender checks. 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. In 2022, the auto-response "-request" listserv function was disabled as part of our efforts to simplify the listserv operations. The listserv has been transitioned to using user profiles managed with web tools for their list subscriptions, unsubscriptions, list mail "digests", alternative email boxes, etc. The change to using more user-friendly web tools also helps to avoid vulnerabilities of old-fashioned email auto-responding processes.

    As a side story, since 2010, the AnGen Dir profile management system has been used 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 managements, working group managements, VCF file repository data ownership managements, and NAGRP File sharing platform, etc.

    A Frequently Asked Quetions (FAQ) list has been developed and maintained since 2008.

— Zhiliang Hu (May 1999; ... Jul 2022)