The Technical Alliance for Computational Stratigraphy (TACS) is a three-year research effort initiated on March 1, 1997 with the primary goal of reducing the uncertainty associated with geologic interpretations in both development and exploration settings by maximizing the quality and quantity of biostratigraphic information available for integrated, multidisciplinary studies. This goal will be accomplished mainly through the development of biostratigraphic workstation applications.

TACS is developing a biostratigraphic workstation capability by building on existing applications and technologies, and through new technology development. Existing applications include Unocal's Integrated Paleontological System (IPS) and existing technologies include graphic correlation and probabilistic stratigraphy. New technology development focuses on technologies that will help the geoscientist to recognize and define geologically useful events in biostratigraphic data (i.e., recognition of candidate flooding surfaces, sequence boundaries, etc.), and increase effective interaction between applications.

The objectives of the Technical Alliance for Computational Stratigraphy are:

1) provide and support biostratigraphic workstation applications for industry members and allied academicians;
2) continue research and development on biostratigraphic workstation applications and expand stratigraphic applications;
3) develop stratigraphic applications for existing integrated geologic software products;
4) develop processes and algorithms for the implementation of intelligent technologies in workstation applications;
5) promote flexible data transfer for existing and new biostratigraphic applications;
6) develop procedures and technologies for more rapid and accurate acquisition of biostratigraphic data; and
7) produce case studies using the new procedures and technologies.

BugWin '98 is the Windows 95 version of a data collection program that has been used in the oil industry for over a decade. It's designed to aid the micropaleontologist in putting fossil counts and other related observations into the computer directly from the microscope. BugWin then interfaces directly with or creates export files for other programs (Excel, GraphCor, Ragware, more) for charting, graphing, and database storage.

Visit the web site at www.bugware.com to view the user interface for data collection and examples of some of the charting capabilities. You may even enjoy some pretty cool nannofossil photos. BugWin users can subscribe to a free automated tech support listserver to get announcements on upgrades and fixes as well as general discussion of the program.

BugWin '98 is free for academic use. Others can obtain more info and pricing by sending email to mitch@bugware.com or calling (850) 668-3894 in the U.S.

 MicroPal, a  bulletin board for micropaleontology, was created by Jere Lipps (UC-Berkeley) to promote fruitful discussions and useful information exchange both quickly and efficiently for micropaleontologists.  It has functioned for several years, serving a nearly 500  micropaleontologists worldwide with a few messages of interest each month.
Subscriptions are made by sending an email to listproc@ucmp1.berkeley.edu that has the subject line blank and, in the text field, SUBSCRIBE MICROPAL followed by the subscriber's name.  One may then send messages (to micropal@ucmp1.berkeley.edu) and receive messages sent to the list server.

Micropaleontologists are invited to contribute anything considered informative about the subject of micropaleontology, its practitioners, journals, societies, etc.   Participants may request information, samples, specimens, or other materials.  Students are especially welcome to take part in the bulletin board and should be encouraged to subscribe.  New subscribers, even those well-known in the micropaleontologic community at large, should introduce themselves with a brief statement  and their micropaleontological interests, .

Please use MicroPal for comments that would interest micropaleontologists broadly.  Specific responses to individuals should be addressed directly to them, unless you believe the entire group would like to see them.  Comments about ways to improve this service should be addressed to Jere Lipps at  jlipps@ucmp1.berkeley.edu.

This is a development that many of us have been waiting for, for a very long time.  It is to be hoped that what ODP calls 'legacy data', from Legs prior to 171, will become available soon.