indexes, subscriptions, and internet links

[Ruth Lewis]

On Fri, 4 Apr 1997, Hal wrote:
[snip]
> have noticed something....this is that there is generally a separation of
> subscription-based links/indexes and freely available web links. 
[snip]
>   Why is the trend away from this?

I agree this is odd, but we have received some specific feedback from
users here that they would like the stuff we pay for obvious and somehow
separated from "other" internet stuff, even when the "other" internet
stuff is carefully selected.  I guess folks have a feeling that you "get
what you pay for" and their time might be best spent in the
subscription-based indexes.  I tend to agree with them, although there are
some excellent "free"  sources out there which I continue to mix with the
FirstSearch (etc) links on my pages. 

Ruth Lewis, Biology Librarian             phone:(314)935-4819 
Washington University, Campus Box 1061    email:ruth-lewis at library.wustl.edu 
One Brookings Drive                       fax: (314) 935-4046
St. Louis, MO  63130-4899