Thanks for sites! Plus a comment...

[Neubert/Lacy group]

Hello,

I want to thank folks that send locations of library tours that exist on
web sites.  I was somewhat surprised that the number ran about 9-1 academic
libraries to public libraries.  I could still use a couple of public
library sites, if anyone has any.

I would make a few comments, based on my experiences here.  One is that
there is certainly still a place for older versions of browser software.  I
work in Internet access facilities here where all the PCs are 133 mhz or
100 mhz pentiums with only 8 mhz of memory and Netscape 3 and IE 3 operate
in a more or less acceptable fashion on these machines, but IE 4 basically
overwhelms the one machine it was installed on and offers no additional
benefits as far as users are concerned to compensate for having slowed up
access, and the interface is rather overly complicated compared for novice
users compared to IE 3.

On that same topic, I have noticed that when running side by side on two
identical machines, IE 3 is always noticably slower to open the same web
page than Netscape 3.  When the speed of access is as slow as it is here,
the difference is quite remarkable--IE will still be loading the first GIF
files of the LC main home page, for example, and Netscape 3 will be done,
even though the user on IE clicked on the LC link first.  Observing this
dampens the Russian users' that I train enthusiasm for IE, which they tend
to gravitate towards otherwise because there is a fully russified version
of IE, and not of Netscape.

Another comment is that it the phenomenon of web design interfering with
rather than facilitating access is a _big_ problem here. Russin library web
pages are created and designed from start to finish by folks with
background in programming in all cases I know of.  The concept of "systems
librarian" is unknown.  Staff with library experience are assumed to be
incapable of contributing to the process of web page creation.  The result
is that most library web pages are far too complex--they take forever to
load (especially given the well known problems here with communications
infrastructure), lack intuitive design, often use frames for no compelling
reason (other than that it contributes to the impression of the final
product being a complex one) but are often quite "pretty" and make a good
first impression to someone who doesn't understand the real goals of
library web pages.  In other words, the library directors like them.

Regards,

MN

Michael Neubert
Yekaterinburg, Russia (to May, 1998)

"Iakov Sverdlov remains (for the time being) atop his 
rock facing the Opera & Ballet Teatre on Glavnyi prospekt.  
With his downward-pointing finger he seems to be saying, 
'take'em to the cellar and shoot'em'"

_Russia, Ukraine & Belarus_  (Lonely planet, 1996)