Ian Purves:The Internet
The Internet is a global network of computers. Anyone can join, from anywhere in the world. Ideas and comments posted to discussion groups (lists) are available everywhere in minutes. This network has been exploited for many years by the academic world. As it has become generally available to the general public many more lists have started up. General Practitioners may be interested in a new list, called gp-uk, which is detailed here. Although a UK list, we already have subscribers from Australia!
What is gp-uk?
GPs who now have access to e-mail on the Internet are invited to join a Mailbase list called gp-uk which has recently been set up at Newcastle. Mailbase is the UK's major electronic mailing list service which enables groups to manage their own discussion topics (Mailbase lists) and associated files. The service is run by a dedicated team based at Newcastle University, and is funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of the Higher Education Funding Councils for England, Scotland and Wales.
The gp-uk listserver will deal with topics such as healthcare computing, clinical problems, commissioning, drug reactions, audit and education. It may be used to rapidly disseminate messages containing details of forthcoming meetings and conferences. It is an academic list and should not be used for personal or commercial messages.
To join this list: Simply send an e-mail message with the following command to: mailbase@mailbase.ac.uk
join gp-uk<first name><surname>[press return] stop
These commands are entered into the body of the e-mail. The subject of the e-mail is left blank, Substitute the items in angle brackets (<>) with your own details,
e.g. if John Smith were to subscribe his message would read:
join gp-uk john smith
stop.
Detailed user guide
If you are interested, and would like to find out how the listserver works, you can obtain a detailed user guide by sending this e-mail message to mailbase@mailbase.ac.uk:
send mailbase user-guide [press return]stop
Within an hour you will receive a return e-mail, containing the user guide, to your Internet address. Once you are informed that you are a member of gp-uk you can send messages to: gp-uk@mailbase.ac.uk - these messages and any replies to the messages are sent to all members of the gp-uk list.
Getting Connected
gp-uk is not an NHS project - you do not require a RACAL mailbox. If you don't have access to the Internet from an academic site you will need to subscribe to a commercial provider such a Demon Internet Limited. Call them on 081-349 0063 and they will giveyou full details of how to join and how to obtain free software for your computer. For £11.75 a month you get unlimited Internet access.
Contacts
The people responsible for running the gp-uk list are called the list owners. If you would like more details, please contact:
Ian Purves:
Mike Bainbridge:
Ian Trimble:
