[go] partitioning gene association files

[Jennifer Deegan (nee Clark)]

Hi,

Doug howe wrote:

 > If even advanced users who work with GA files can't get past the
 > distinction between IEA and experimental codes, I have to wonder if they
 > are serving any purpose worth their hassle?  By splitting the file we
 > are just shielding users from the complexity of the evidence codes and
 > allowing them to continue to not understand them.


Just for context, this question came up because a group of advanced 
users at a meeting last year specifically asked us to split out 
electronic annotations and NOT annotations into separate files.

I think that whilst there are advanced users, and we would like to think 
that they understand our system in all its details, we have to accept 
that users have a lot to do, and many tight deadlines. If we know that 
there are difficult things in the files (such as NOT annotations) that 
might trip people up, then it makes sense that there should be an extra 
step in downloading these just so that they notice that they are getting 
something slightly different.

The users often ask me for separation of electronic annotations, because 
they do not wholely trust these annotations. We may not agree with that 
assessment, but this lack of trust is common amongst the users, and 
having the separate files just allows them to play it safe. In some 
cases it gets them past a barrier to using the GO at all. It also 
encourages groups to start manual annotation, which has to be a good thing.

Jen