CNGBOCHS: An integrated Ingres-Interleaf system for processing change requests associated with GEMBOCHS, EQ3/6, and other research groups

Over the years, users of the GEMBOCHS thermodynamic database (GEMBOCHS is an acronym for Geologic and Engineering Materials: Bibliography Of CHemical Species) and the EQ316 software package have periodically forwarded suggestions for improvement to the GEMBOCHS and EQ316 research groups. These correspondences typically report database or software errors that have been discovered during application, solicit the inclusion of additional or improved thermodynamic data, or suggest incorporation of new or alternate algorithms for performing various geochemical calculations. Traditionally, these suggestions have been made in person, over the phone, or via surface mail, and their resolution has often required additional correspondence. Hence, it has been difficult to maintain a complete, readily-accessible database of such transactions. This difficulty has been eliminated by development of the CNGBOCHS software package (CNGBOCHS is an acronym for ChaNGe Bibliography Of CHemical Species). This system permits GEMBOCHS and EQ316 users to submit suggestions for improvement using the standard electronic mail system (hereinafter referred to as email); facilitates timely review, status notification, and resolution of these suggestions; and greatly simplifies the task of maintaining a comprehensive change-request database that can be relationally searched and selectively printed in rapid fashion. The purpose of this document is to describe the procedure for submitting email change requests to CNGREQ and to present a succinct summary of the CNGBOCHS-CNGREQ interface: its local access, operation, and run-time options