Using database software to create HTML documents--(And how...)

[Andrzej Kowalski]

I know of a number of database products with Web software layers that can
produce HTML pages on the fly, including our own Texpress. As I said in a
previous posting, Texpress has been doing it for nearly two years.  Other
vendors also have commercially available solutions.  These products vary
between cheap/freeware to more expensive solutions, like Texpress.  Many of
these products do certain things well e.g. some are free text retrieval
systems, some have Z39.50 hooks, some have relational capabilities, some do
conceptual based querying, some excel at large collections and so on.

I have observed from my reading of this list over the last six months or so
that many people, including vendors likle myself, are acutely aware of the
issues and technology regarding producing HTML pages from databases. Thus
Robert H. Terry is being condescending, if not downright rude, when he makes
statements like:

"do not make assumptions when you really have not understood the
technology."; and
"Just keep on using your Telnet process oriented interfaces and stay in the
dark about WWW HTML code generators."

According to Robert H. Terry himself, his product is not yet released:

(11/02/95)
"Actually, we are scheduled to do same after our Oracle product release in 
Dec. of this year."

Yet, he goes on to say, 

"this researcher has found no other tool better suited for cataloguing
holdings ".

I must express incredulity about such a statement for an unreleased product.
However, the most important point is that one the reasons I, and I suspect
others, subscribe to this list to find information about features of such
products.  As such, I welcome descriptions of features and functionality,
and even a little hyperbole, which I have probably been guilty of in the
past on behalf of Texpress.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss "this researcher's" research on
or off this list and show him some very viable alternatives to his
unreleased product.  Perhaps we would all learn from an exchange along these
lines instead of the meaningless puffery we have seen to date.

Andrzej Kowalski

At 05:58 11/05/95 -0800, you wrote:
>O.K., I can not spell very well, but how many Brooklyn born Computer 
>Scientist can.  But enough of the flaming, the tool is a NASA software 
>research product.  As stated its available like many of such 
>off-the-shelf works as a public domain tool (called MOREplus).  In order 
>to provide the complete package with customer driven functionality and 
>common needs like support and upgrades we have been tasked with making a 
>COTS tool.  
>
>My opinion, which has been solidified time and time again upon 
>reading/talking with physical librarians and hearing their needs/problems 
>in finding a suitable interface for WWW technology, is to suggest looking 
>into a DBMS layer which generates HTML.   Maybe, it is a bit forward to 
>suggest my own work, but as yet this researcher has found no other tool 
>better suited for cataloguing holdings.  When we are visited, it becomes 
>obvious most do not realize every page (except the first one) is being 
>generated on-the-fly.  It is also noticeable that most of its 
>functionality, the administrative ones, are seldom seen/investigated.  
>
>So, to answer all critics, do not make assumptions when you really have 
>not understood the technology.  Secondly, keep your credit card numbers 
>close to your PIN numbers when approaching ATMs, the person behind you is 
>much more likely to rip you off then I will ever be.  Just keep on using 
>your Telnet process oriented interfaces and stay in the dark about WWW 
>HTML code generators.
>
>Bob Terry 
>
>On Sat, 4 Nov 1995, The Big Glee Bopper wrote:
>
>> 
>> Wow! Half time folks! I don't think it was Eric Rumsey who wrote what 
>> folks are objecting to:
>> 
>> > On Fri, 3 Nov 1995, Robert MacKimmie wrote:
>> 
>> > I agree with Andrzej Kowalski:
>> > >"I find it somewhat high-handed, if not offensive, for someone to  
>> > >suggest that their product is the "needed" "
>> > regarding Fri, 3 Nov 1995, Eric Rumsey wrote:
>> > >>>... Come on people, get with the 
>> > 
>> > What Mr. Rumsey might want to realize is that the product which he  
>> 
>> What was posted to my machine was:
>> 
>> From: "Robert H. Terry" <rhterry at RBSE.Mountain.Net> 
>> Reply to:web4lib at library.berkeley.edu 
>> To: Multiple recipients of list<web4lib at library.berkeley.edu> 
>> Subject: Re: Using database software tocreate HTML documents 
>> 
>> Hmmmm, whom was it that said HTML code will be the speghetti GoTos of the
>> nineties ?  Oh. yeah, that computer science librarian with the library
>> tool for generating HTML from the database.  Come on people, get with the
>> future.  MOREplus is the needed technology and it is high time you all
>> 
>> *******
>> 
>> Seems like it was "Robert H. Terry" <rhterry at RBSE.Mountain.Net>
>> 
>> No Visa card numbers or MasterCard numbers for this guy!
>> 
>> --Thom
>> 
>> p.s. Maybe a spell checker?? 8-)
>> 
>
################
Andrzej Kowalski                                     Vancouver, BC, Canada
Dingo Software Systems Inc.                          Tel: (604) 877-1960 
andrzej at dingo.com                                    Fax: (604) 877-1961
http://www.dingo.com    
                                                     
Fast and flexible data retrieval from data collections of all sizes
in-house and on the WWW with the KE Texpress Information Management System.
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