Dertouzos on future libraries -Reply

[Dan Lester]

>>> Bill Drew <drewwe at morrisville.edu> 06/19/97 08:23am
>>>
NO!!! NO!!!  The solution is not standardization in having a
common interface to all systems.  The solution is in using full
implementation of Z39.50 for all systems.  That will allow
each library (and possibly each user) to provide a common
interface to all of their systems.

---------------
In principle I agree with you.  But by the time Z39.50 does all
that it needs to, we'll all be retired....unless a miracle
happens.  Have you ever tried to use Z39.50 to a CARL
system (I happen to like their NAME vs WORD system, but
having spent seven years with it, it takes continual teaching
to patrons who know traditional cataloging or other systems),
which just doesn't map to Z39.50.  I'm NOT picking on CARL,
by the way, as there are plenty of other systems that cause
problems, to say nothing of those systems that implement
Z39.50 but are incorrectly configured, so that no matter how
you set up to access them it isn't right.  Sure, everybody
should do things "right", but this is the real world.
======================
 
  dan



Dan Lester, Network Information Coordinator
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