Protocol Section

[RockChalkJayhawk]

I think there needs to be a section for 'Protocols' or a "How To" on this site. For example, there are many places in this forum that are asking about how to make/download GTF files for Cufflinks. Some posts say you can't use UCSC, others say you have to modify the ENSEMBL GTF file. There should be a place that is easy to find for COMPLETE descriptions of these sometimes non-trivial tasks.

Remember - there are biologists among us!

[ECO]

Good idea.

I've considered setting up a http://stackoverflow.com type functionality for this type of very concise how-to question, but it seems to duplicate too much of the forum functionality.

I'll think about how to best implement this...if you have ideas please feel free to suggest. But please keep in mind...the nature of any complex system (hobby, etc), is that there will be different opinions and methods...so a spoonfed answer (that everyone agrees with) is not always possible.

[flxlex]

Wouldn't a wiki be an option here?

[ECO]

Yup, thought about doing a master HOWTO page, and people could create their own HOWTOs...but I fear that would not be conducive to ASKING for help...just getting help from a altruistic soul willing to write a HOWTO.

Maybe we need to come up with a list of desired howto topics? And maybe I need to give some incentives for people to write them?