Z vs opac clients

[Karen G. Schneider]

I am thinking that you could use one of the freeware Z30.50 servers and
spend your money on the OPAC web interface.  Where I am the computer people
are tinkering with the CNIDR software.  I also think you definitely want a
web gateway, if possible, to your catalog.

Now, as for Netscape not supporting telnet, all web browsers call telnet as
an external program.  It's the nature of the beast, but yes, if your
catalog is only telnet-accessible, and you cannot control your users'
configurations, they will do a lot of frustrated fiddling, not all of it
successful, to access your catalog.  There are other reasons for a web
interface, but you have hit on one of the biggies--it's easier to support.


I don't want to speak to your priorities, but there are several
respectable, free Z39.50 software packages available out there,while
(again, I am guessing on minimal information--corrections welcome) you
probably need Gaylord's package to hook the catalog to your web server.

My last column for American Libraries was about Z39.50--and so is the next
one.  The first column discussed why Z39.50 is important; the second is
kind of a "used-car guide" to Z39.50, with a few of the caveats built in.
One of the poitns I make, without hammering it in, is that the commercial
products out there aren't necessarily equal to or even as good as the
freeware products.  I point people to a few useful sites, including the
Library of Congress maintenance site , http://lcweb.loc.gov/z3950/ .  Take
a look there before deciding what Z39.50 route you want to take.  Also read
through some of the stuff to decide WHY Z39.50 is important to your
library.  Your answers may make a difference in what you want and how you
approach the problem of meeting this need.

Good luck!

------------------------------------------------------------------
Karen G. Schneider * kgs at bluehighways.com * schneider.karen at epamail.epa.gov
Author, The Internet Access Cookbook (e-mail Neal-Schuman at icm.com)
Director, US EPA Region 2 Library * Cybrarian * Columnist, American Libraries
Visit our library at http://www.epa.gov/Region2/library/
These opinions strictly mine!