Here we planned to provide information from potential service providers for a future grid.

The questions we wanted them to answer are:

1. Is anonymous access to your databases acceptable? Or must you always know who is using your data?
2. If anonymous access is unacceptable, why is this? e.g. is it mis-use of the data which concerns you so an audit trail is required, or is it that the data is only available for users from bioinformatics centres of subscribed institutions?

1. If you must know the identity of the user, would it be sufficient to know that the user is a legitimate researcher from a life sciences department of a subscribed institution, without actually knowing his/her name?

University of Glasgow

Although we have tried since Feb 2006 we have not received a response from the academic in University of Glasgow recommended by Richard. Last contact was w/b 10 April 2006. Richard also sent a message again on Weds to say "it would be really good" for NeSC and another project if he could answer this. No response.

NCBI

Finally received reply to email on 12 April 2006.

Subject: FW: Question from University of Oxford based e-Science research project
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 15:45:09 -0400
From: Sayers, Eric (NIH/NLM/NCBI) [E] <sayers@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov>
To: <alun.edwards@computing-services.oxford.ac.uk>
CC: <sayers@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov>

Dear Colleague,

In general, information is provided on our home page and the Disclaimer:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/About/disclaimer.html

There are no logins required to access any of our databases. Let me know
if you have other questions.

Regards,
Eric 


___________________
Eric W. Sayers, PhD
NCBI/NLM/NIH
Building 38A, Room 3S314K
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20894
sayers@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 

The links provided were:

• NCBI home page http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

• NCBI copyright and disclaimers http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/About/disclaimer.html