fwd: underlying technologies of opacs?

[rob caSSon]

i've included my original post to oss4lib, but you may want to browse the
archive as well: 

	http://www.geocrawler.com/archives/3/6067/2002/9/0/

looks like messages may take a day or so to get archived....

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what with all the development of koha and its marc support, i was pointed
to some alternatives to relational databases in building library catalog
software, specifically the use of multivalue database systems, which
appear to be PICK-like...

anyway, i'm now looking for an overview as to the underlying technologies
of the various opac vendors; are they still using pick style databases, or
something completely different?  ideally, looking for some side-by-side
comparisons....

for info as to what the hell i'm talking about in regards to multivalue
databases:

	http://www.maverick-dbms.org/
	http://www.multivaluedatabases.com/

i realize this is a little off-topic, but thought someone here might
know...tia,

rob casson
electronic information services librarian
miami university
oxford, oh