Use of DDC in web displays

[Karen G. Schneider]

Jerry pondered, "Even though I started this thread, I'm hesitating over the
idea of an open source classification system. Is there a need?"

Well... clearly... taking the Microsoft model to heart... what we need is
something that looks a lot like DDC, but is *our very own open source
product.*   The objective is to prevent them from sending you mean letters.
With your mind uncluttered by none-too-subtle threats, you'll have all the
time in the world to develop next-generation search tools that will make the
DDC folks sorry they didn't gift you with a license for all the great pro
bono work you've done.

"Would we want to throw another classification system out to a public that
can't navigate DDC and LC without charts posted all over the library?"

Nope!  Measure the distance between Netscape and Explorer--or Mosaic and
Netscape, to use the first model--and you know just how "different" it has
to be.  Maybe you could tack a common suffix on to all the terms...

Karen G. Schneider kgs at bluehighways.com
Assistant Director for Technology
Shenendehowa Public Library, NY
www.shenpublib.org