[WEB4LIB] RE: The Wireless Future of Library Computing

[Roy Tennant]

As the person to whom Thomas refers below (of "wireless epiphany" 
notoriety), I feel it necessary to say that my silence on this topic 
hasn't come from my unwillingness to own my comments, but rather from 
the responsibilities pertaining to a pesky little thing called my Day 
Job. By now I have a number of things to say, so I'll get to it.

Wireless is indeed an interesting technology, but as has been mentioned 
in this forum already there is much to know about it -- first and 
foremost the security issue. The mere fact that I could jack into 
someone's wireless network from a moving bus and send and receive email 
should give anyone pause who doesn't want people doing that. And as 
Darryl said, even being an authenticated user is no guarantee that your 
bits are secure when flying through the air for anyone to grab.

But at least one thing is beyond debate -- wireless networks are 
increasingly a part of library environments, particularly in the 
academic sector. Therefore, it behooves us to know a good deal about 
them, and about the appropriate delivery of services to wireless devices 
of all kinds. I happen to agree with both Thomases (Dowling and Wilson) 
that probably very few people will want to search the library catalog 
from a cell phone (Wilson), but that should it be the only way possible 
in a given situation it is better than nothing (Dowling). And it's our 
responsibility to know what they will see when they do so.

Having burned myself before by making over-enthusiastic predictions (see 
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/archive/9511/0211.html if you need 
persuading), I would not say that wireless will transform anything 
except for the user experience of those using it. That is, it is just 
downright cool to be sitting, standing, or lying down wherever you want 
to be and be connected to the Internet. I frequently find occasion to be 
out back by the pool, or lying on the couch, or sitting in a public 
park, and being completely connected while doing so is simply a 
_really_neat _thing_. Sure, libraries will need to consider what their 
services will look and act like when used on PDAs, cell phones, and the 
like, and will also need to decide if they want to offer wireless 
connectivity in their buildings, but these are relatively 
straightforward questions that do not substantively change what 
libraries are about.

It is, in fact, simply an extension of service in a logical and 
incremental way, and therefore should be relatively free of controversy. 
One might almost say a "no brainer", but then far be it from me to make 
you think of that phrase in association with one of my postings -- you 
may make an association that I would find unflattering.
Roy


On Friday, July 12, 2002, at 08:54 AM, Thomas Dowling wrote:

> At 11:26 AM 7/12/2002, Dan Marmion wrote:
>
>> At this particular session, one of the speakers (I'll let him identify
>> himself if he so chooses) talked about, among other things, the 
>> convenience
>> of wireless and how it has potential to take on much greater 
>> importance in
>> libraries.  But, he added, he didn't see the ability to search an OPAC 
>> via
>> a cell phone as something that would appeal to a large number of 
>> people.
>
> The speaker you're thinking of mentioned his "wireless epiphany" -- 
> which I
> believe is an IM from an archangel.  I believe it was two other people 
> who
> A) brought up web-enabled cell phones and/or PDAs and B) made the 
> comment
> about searching the OPAC on a cell phone.  As much respect as I have for
> all the speakers, I wish someone had mentioned this: if you're even 
> trying
> to search the OPAC on a cell phone, it's a pretty good indication that 
> you
> have no other access available at that time, and if it won't work you're
> well and truly stuck.
>
>
> Thomas Dowling
> OhioLINK - Ohio Library and Information Network
> tdowling at ohiolink.edu
>
>
>