Questions about Dialog

[George Jenkins]

On Fri, 18 Oct 1996 02:14:47 you wrote:

>Hello,
>
>We are two LIS-students in the Netherlands and working on a paper about
>Dialog training. We have done a research, but have not found much information
>about our subject. We really hope that you can help us.
>
>We have to answer the following questions:
>
>1) Does all LIS students in the USA get lessons in Dialog?

By LIS, I assume you mean MLS (Masters in Library Science, the US
equivalent) matriculating students.  I can't speak to this, as I do not have
an MLS.  The answer probably is yes.

>2) Does business students get lessons in Dialog?

I can speak to this, since I have an MBA.  The answer mostly is "no," but
there probably are a few places where some access is available.  You may
have to poll specific schools.  LEXIS-NEXIS is a slightly beter choice,
becasue of a) the full text coverage, and b) the natural language type
search engine.  Dialog's command driven interface to difficult for most
users.  The WWW/Internet is preferred since students in MBA schools need to
learn to be savy information consumers before graduation.

>3) At wich way does Dialog develop itselfs because there now is Internet as 
>   a competitor, (we think it is a competitor)?

As you know, via the WWW it is difficult to search many news sources at
once, unless you go to a site with plenty of content (i.e.- PathFinder).
So, for users with this need (&/or the service & support also provided), the
traditional online services will play a role for a while.  As you may know,
service & support by local Internet ISP's vary widely and can be problematic.

For users needing to search a few or one source at a time, their use MAY
shift from traditional online to the WWW.  Factors such as PRICING and
CONTENT will affect this; especially in academic markets.  Many WWW sites
(i.e.- D&B is one good example) offer slightly different reports via
traditional online compared to WWW.  Some people will say, these WWW sites
offer diluted report version of their data available elsewhere.  So, the old
advice "shop around" and be a smart consumer definitely applies.

In my opinion, many schools are developing Intranet applications by subject
(i.e.- business research, specific competitors, industry monitoring,
economics, org behavior, etc.), which point/guide students to specific WWW
sites.  These types of  applications will only grow, as people learn to
compile a custom list of authoritative, reliable web sites in their Intranet
application.  3rd party Intranet software developments will drive this, too.

You may want to broaden your questions to include the new Windows driven
products from Dialog, such as K-R BusinessBase.  Dialog products have
several interfaces.

>4) What are the developments in the Dialog Training Program (CIP)?

Don't know.  Ask Dialog directly.

>5) Are there other training programs?

>From Dialog, or from others?  Your question was vague.

I hope that the above comments help.

George

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