In a nutshell, the response was that the RIN service is being discontinued
as a separate product and that new RINs will not be created in the future,
but that indexers will continue assigning existing RIN codes to new patents.
This appears to be a situation we can live with.
Edlyn Simmons
-----Original Message-----
From: Customer Services [mailto:CustomerServices@Derwent.co.uk]
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 8:08 AM
To: 'Edlyn.Simmons@hmrag.com'
Subject:
Dear Edlyn
In response to your queries regarding cessation of the RIN service
which you recently posted to the PIUG, we would like to address your
concerns and also take this opportunity to clarify some of the points
which you have raised.
Firstly, as you are aware, Derwent defines a Ring Index
Number (RIN) as a code applied to a chemical ring system which does
not have a specific chemical fragmentation code, and this therefore
allows more precise searching of chemical ring systems. The RIN
Service provides an update of all the new RINs generated by Derwent
Indexers as they encounter them for the first time in patent
documents.
The RIN Service is now subscribed to by only a relatively small number
of customers (approximately 20), and only a very small number of new
RINs are currently being generated by our Indexers each week. In
addition to this the same information covered by RINs already forms
part of DWPIM (MMS), and will also be duplicated as a part of the
proposed DCR indexing for DWPI. Consequently, it seems clear that the
requirement for the generation of new RINs is diminishing.
Therefore, it was decided that the RIN Service should cease in
January 1999, when Derwent's indexing teams process the final 1998
data (in Derwent week 9851). All existing RIN Service customers will
get the final instalment of RIN data files once they are processed in
the next few weeks.
However, as you suggest, there is still a need for our Indexers
(Analysts) to continue to apply existing RINs (particularly for users
of Markush TOPFRAG), and this is fully appreciated by Derwent. We
would like to reassure you that all existing RINs will continue to be
used by our Indexing staff.
An updated version of Markush TOPFRAG was expected to be launched
towards the end of last year, and it had been our intention to combine
that announcement with that of the discontinuation of the RIN Service
(as we believed this approach would be the best way to inform all
interested parties). However, the new version of Markush TOPFRAG has
been slightly delayed, so the joint announcement has not yet been sent
out. Unfortunately we did not fully appreciate within Derwent that
this would also delay notification of the RIN Service developments.
We can only apologise for this oversight.
Derwent has invested a lot of time and effort to ensure that Chemical
Indexing (BCE Chemical Fragmentation Coding) continues to be applied
alongside DCR indexing. We are committed to the concept of Chemical
Indexing as a retrieval mechanism for customers (as we have
demonstrated in the past), and will continue to develop and apply it
alongside our other forms of indexing, until such time as our
customers request otherwise.
We hope this information answers your queries and allays any fears you
may have had.
Please feel free to post any information contained within this reply
to the PIUG bulletin board, if you feel it to be of interest to other
PIUG members. In the meantime, we will work speedily to send out a
formal notice to this effect to everyone affected.
Yours sincerely
Derwent Customer Services