[ensembl-dev] Ensembl dev posting guidelines

[Paul Flicek]

Below are posting guidelines for the Ensembl dev mailing list.  These will be posted on the Ensembl site soon and will be sent automatically to new list subscribers.

Thanks for being an Ensembl user and we hope the list will continue to be useful for you in the future.

-Paul
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Ensembl dev posting guidelines

The Ensembl dev mailing list (dev at ensembl.org) is a forum for users of the 
Ensembl API, website and data including users maintaining Ensembl mirrors
or developing applications based on the Ensembl code.  All API/web installation 
questions, issues, possible bugs or other Ensembl code related queries are 
appropriate for this forum.  

Please keep in mind that many of the users posting here are volunteering 
their expertise.  While help is happily provided, there is an expectation that users
will spend the necessary time learning the system from the available documentation.


General information:

- Before posting users are encouraged to search the dev list archives at 
http://lists.ensembl.org/pipermail/dev/.  Additional information including
specific help for the API and a project FAQ are available at 
http://www.ensembl.org/info/index.html

- Choose a meaningful subject for your message.

- Ensembl also provides user support via helpdesk at ensembl.org.  
Questions sent to this address are not sent to the general dev list, but may be
used as the basis of FAQ entries, blog posts or other documentation.


How to format specific question types:

- If you are posting a question about the Ensembl API, please provide the
API version that you are using, which is found via Bio::EnsEMBL::ApiVersion

   use Bio::EnsEMBL::ApiVersion;
   printf( "The API version used is %s\n", software_version() );

A short code snippet illustrating a problem is normally very useful.

- Questions about installation of an Ensembl web site should include
information about the OS used and any applicable error messages.

- Questions about Ensembl data should include the release number.
Database version can be found in the database name or via the
schema_version entry in the meta table.


Administrative guidelines:

- Please keep messages on the list so that others can benefit from the
discussion.  All Ensembl team members will reply with the dev list in copy and
dev messages should not be sent directly to members of the
Ensembl team.

- Normal standards of professional behaviour are expected in all messages.  
Comments that are deemed rude or insulting are not acceptable.

- Uninvited off-list contact for commercial or other purposes is not acceptable.

- Messages sent to dev at ensembl.org will be archived.  These are indexed and
searchable via sources such as google.

- Job postings for Ensembl project positions at the EBI and Sanger may be
occasionally be sent to the list.  Other jobs postings are not appropriate for the list.