Chapter 1: Preface

[This document is called Version 3.1.1, January 1996]

[ This chapter ][ Next chapter ] The "BioCompanion" is intended to serve as an introduction for the new or casual user of computers in molecular biology who needs to apply sequence analysis programs. ISBN numbers are assigned to the Basel-specific version for VMS systems (ISBN 3-905434-00-8) and the site-neutral (international) version for UNIX systems (ISBN 3-905434-02-4).

The "BioComputing Tutorial" (Doelz, R. 1990) included similar background information, and a worked-out cookbook was available as "Survival Guide" (Doelz, R. 1993). A tutorial-like book, covering several packages, was also available from bookstores as "Computer Analysis of Sequence Data", A.Griffin, H.Griffin (ed)., Humana Press, ISBN 0-89603-246-9 (pt.1), ISBN 0-89603-276-0 (pt.2).

The BioCompanion focuses mostly on the GCG software (Genetics Computer Group, (1991), Program Manual for the GCG Package, Version 8, September 1994, 575 Science Drive, Madison, Wisconsin, USA 53711. Quotation of manual passages with permission.), but also includes examples from the ATLAS software from PIR International, the NCBI in Washington, W.Pearson's FASTA package, the MPsrch software from IntelliGenetics, Inc. and the SRS software from T.Etzold, EMBL.

Note on the Type of this Document

The BioCompanion is a configurable document, which is achieved by the format Just Another MetaFormat (JAMF). This means that, depending on your environment, you will read this text as a printed booklet, in a brochure, or as on-line document on the screen. The contents of this text is configurable as well. The version you are currently viweing is a UNIX-specific version. VMS documentation can be accomplished easily with a single switch on the JAMF processing.

This version is site-independent. Specifically configured for this version were no VMS , ATLAS , DECNET , EGCG , ENTREZ , PEARSON , RCP , READSEQ , SRS .