freeWAIS-sf (RE: SWISH Wish List)

[Bin Zhang]

Roy:

I would like to add something that I don't like about SWISH:

1. I have to write a script for each database I index.  I want
to be able to customize in html form for each database, and all forms
will just call one file (the script, wwwwais or swish-cgi).

2. Unable to index delimited one-file databases.  For example, I would
like to be able to index our library's periodical list and make
searchable. 

3. Field search and proximity search (You mentioned it in your
wishlist).

4. Synonyms search (again, it's in your wishlist already).

I have found that freeWAIS-SF combines with SFGate is a good
alternative.   It does allow Boolean and/or/not search, proximity
(pre/n, w/n), soundex search, field search.  For each database, record
and field delimiters can be defined in a "format" file.

In SFGate, all the parameters are given in a html form, and you can
define customized header and/or footer, default operators (and/or) in
the form.

You can find freeWAIS-sf at 
  http://ls6-www.informatik.uni-dortmund.de/ir/projects/freeWAIS-sf/

-- 
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Bin Zhang <bzhang at Hawaii.Edu>         4303 Diamond Head Road
Automation/Reference Librarian        Honolulu, HI 96816
Kapiolani Community College           Phone: (808) 734-9254
University of Hawaii                  Fax:   (808) 734-9453
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Roy Tennant writes:
 > Pam Day said:
 > >The following is a summary of the responses to my query on local search
 > >engines.  Thank you to everyone who responded to my question.  We may 
 > >try one of the free search engines such as SWISH. [details deleted]
 > 
 > This may be an opportune time to discuss SWISH. We have used SWISH for 
 > quite a while on both the Library Web at UC Berkeley 
 > (www.lib.berkeley.edu) and the Digital Library SunSITE 
 > (sunsite.berkeley.edu). We've used it long enough to detect bugs and 
 > dream of enhancements. We recently received permission from SWISH author 
 > Kevin Hughes to hack the C source and create a UCB version to our 
 > specifications.
 > 
 > Although we are not yet working on the programming, the project has been 
 > put in the queue and will likely come to the surface in the next several 
 > months. In preparation for that event I've begun putting together a page 
 > that describes bug fixes and enhancements that we've already identified. 
 > Anyone who is interested in the final product is welcome to take a look 
 > at the list, suggest new items, provide examples or documentation of bugs 
 > or suggest specific capabilities of listed enhancements. I will be 
 > fleshing out this document to serve as the specification from which the 
 > programmer will work. Prior to work commencing I will be assigning a 
 > rough priority order to the elements, so advice on what you wish the most 
 > for is also welcome.
 > 
 > The Swish Wish List is at:
 > 
 > http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Tools/swishfix.html
 > 
 > Examples of some of the projects that are either in development or 
 > production that use SWISH can be seen at:
 > 
 > Current Cites Virtual Issue: 
 > 	http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/virtualcc
 > The Index to the Internet:
 > 	http://sunsite.Berkeley.EDU/InternetIndex/
 > The California PATH Database on Intelligent Transportation Systems:
 > 	http://sunsite.Berkeley.EDU/PATH/
 > 
 > Roy Tennant
 > Project Manager
 > Digital Library R&D