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- Issue 2 August 1992 ISSN: 0966-2774
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- INFORMATION NETWORKING NEWS is an electronic journal produced by the UK's
- CD-ROM and Information Networking Group: it is automatically sent by
- electronic mail to members of the CD-ROM-NETWORK@JNT and CDROMLAN@IDBSU
- mailing lists, can be consulted on and retrieved from the BUBL Bulletin Board
- in the UK, and is available for ftp on the LIBSOFT archive at the University
- of Western Ontario.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- CONTENTS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- EDITORIAL
- by Michele Shoebridge, Birmingham University, UK
-
- GENERAL
- CD-ROM as a strategic technology: Weaknesses and Alternatives, by Terry
- Hanson, University of Portsmouth Library, UK
-
- CURRENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
- Internet access to cd-roms: an experiment, by A.M. Addyman, University of
- Salford, UK
-
- REVIEWS AND EVALUATIONS
- CD-PLUS Networking, by Alan Neville, University of Manchester, UK
-
- FORTHCOMING EVENTS AND CONFERENCES
-
- HOW TO GET COPIES OF INFORMATION NETWORKING NEWS
-
- EDITIORIAL BOARD
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- EDITORIAL
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- It has been encouraging to receive positive feedback about the first issue
- of INFORMATION NETWORKING NEWS.
-
- Many thanks to those who sent messages. We hope you will find this issue
- just as useful.
-
- Planning ahead we have some interesting items lined up for future issues
- including a report on the alpha testing Imperial College are undertaking on
- Silverplatter's Electronic Reference Library and a feature on Magnetic
- Medline giving some idea of cost since this method of networking Medline is
- not a cheap one!. Both these items reflect the interest now being shown in
- using CD as a distribution media from which the data is downloaded onto a
- large, high performance hard disk.
-
- The newsletter also hopes to cover the pros and cons of the Adonis service
- in the next issue. This subscription system has been installed at some
- sites in the UK and demonstrated at others. It's a CD-ROM document delivery
- service where subscribers can retrieve and print up-to-date articles from
- more than 390 journals. The cost of the service is very high, but some
- libraries may find that these can be offset by cutting journals
- subscriptions.
-
- Michele Shoebridge, Chair, CD-ROM & Information Networking Group.
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- GENERAL
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- CD-ROM as a strategic technology: Weaknesses and Alternatives*
- by Terry Hanson, University of Portsmouth Library, UK
-
- (* This is a shortened version of the author's: "The place of CD-ROM in an
- electronic information service strategy". This is a chapter in the
- forthcoming book: CD-ROM Networking. Edited by Caroline Moore and Nicky
- Whitsed and published jointly by UKOLUG and the Library and Information
- Technology Centre).
-
-
- Introduction
-
- The purpose of this article is to discuss the place of CD-ROM in the
- electronic information service strategy. In particular it is concerned with
- the use of CD-ROM for the storage and distribution of bibliographic
- databases. The main focus is on the inherent weaknesses of CD-ROM in this
- area and the principal alternatives to it. Finally the notion of a uniform
- interface to a range of different products is briefly discussed. The
- assumption is made that the library or information centre will wish to
- maximise the potential offered by the currently available mix of
- technologies to develop a consumer oriented information service policy
- which can deliver information direct to the desktop of the user.
-
- CD-ROM has democratised access to bibliographic databases and made powerful
- information retrieval available to all with no cost restriction (unless
- artificially imposed). Developers of CD-ROM databases have been able to
- design interfaces with the end user in mind incorporating colour and
- graphics in the process. The latter has not been possible with online
- because of the lack of bandwidth in the data networks used. Thus to the
- disenfranchised CD-ROM has been both a revolution and a revelation. In
- universities throughout the world students have taken to CD-ROM with great
- enthusiasm. However this does not mean to say that it is the technology of
- the future (4). Rather it helps to explain why there has been so much fuss.
- Never before had there been such an end-user orientated technology and
- product combination. The temptation was strong to look for ways of making
- it do things that it wasn't designed for. One such thing was networking;
- the key technology for future information delivery strategies.
-
- Weaknesses of CD-ROM as a strategic technology
-
- Four particular weaknesses make CD-ROM a questionable technology for future
- strategic consideration.
-
- a) Storage capacity
-
- Much of the hype about CD-ROM has concentrated on its enormous storage
- capacity at 550-600 Megabytes. When it is pointed out that this capacity is
- equivalent to up to about 1800 (low capacity 5.25") floppy disks, or to
- 200,000+ printed pages it is very impressive for a small portable disc.
- However, many of the major bibliographic databases such as Medline require
- many discs to store the entire file. Currently for example Medline from
- Dialog (1984-) comprises some 13 discs! Clearly a database which requires
- several disc changes before the entire file can be searched is far from
- ideal no matter how impressive the technology. The equivalent online
- database will of course be contained in a single file and capable of being
- searched in a single step.
-
- Given the popularity of CD-ROM, database producers and vendors have sought
- ways of overcoming this limited capacity problem, for example by:
-
- * Enhancing the search software to allow multi-disc (same product)
- searching. This would require all discs that make up the database to be
- loaded in separate drives. The search operation is sequential whereby each
- disc, as a separate product with its own indexes, is searched
- automatically, in sequence. A combined result from all discs is then given.
- This facility is included in, for example, Version 3 of Silver Platter's
- SPIRS software.
-
- * Increasing the amount of information stored on the disc. This might be
- done either by improving the data compression technique or by increasing
- the overall storage capacity of the disc. The former technique accounts for
- the different storage requirements of the various versions of Medline. It
- has been claimed, for example by Nimbus, that CD-ROM as a technology is
- capable of a tenfold increase in capacity. If this can be done whilst
- retaining a reasonable search speed it will have a significant effect on
- the future of compact disc technology.
-
-
- b) Slow access times
-
- When compared to magnetic hard disks the access time or searching speed of
- CD- ROM is very slow. Currently the typical access time for a microcomputer
- hard disk is in the region of 15-20 milliseconds (Ms) whereas the fastest
- CD-ROM drive on the market at present is about 280 Ms (Hitachi, NEC). This
- is an enormous improvement since the inception of the technology when
- access times were anything up to 2000 Ms. There is of course still scope
- for further improvement but it is perhaps unlikely that access times in the
- region of 20 Ms will ever be reached and thus magnetic storage will retain
- a clear performance advantage. To some extent the software aspects of the
- search process can be improved (e.g. by caching) and thus lead to better
- performance but the main problem lies in the basic technology.
-
- c) Always out of date
-
- CD-ROM is designed for both information storage and delivery. It is
- designed, in this respect, as an electronic equivalent to a printed
- abstracting journal; to be produced at a fixed point in time, covering a
- fixed period and subscribed to by libraries etc. The update frequencies
- range from monthly to annual. Thus at the time of delivery the database
- will be, perhaps, several weeks or months behind time. If there is an
- online equivalent this is likely to be updated much more frequently. Given
- this many users, to whom up to date information is very important, will not
- be strongly attracted to the CD-ROM approach. This is more the fault of
- economics than of the technology; the technology doesn't require infrequent
- updating but weekly updates, for example, would mean somewhat higher prices
- to subscribers.
-
- To help overcome this problem some suppliers whose databases are available
- in both online and CD-ROM formats (e.g. Wilson) have built in arrangements
- for easy updating of the CD-ROM search on the online file, as long as there
- is a modem attached to the computer.
-
- d) Unsuitability for networking?
-
- If the requirement of the organisation is modest, seeking only to provide a
- better service than printed abstracts, then the weaknesses identified above
- may not be too problematic. But if the strategy is an ambitious one which
- seeks to provide up to date information, networked to the desktop, with
- fast and convenient searching then the use of CD-ROM as part of the
- strategy becomes, at least, questionable.
-
- Thus in a strategic sense CD-ROM could be said to be inherently unsuitable
- for networking but it is also in the technological sense that problems
- arise. CD-ROM was not designed for networking but given its popularity, and
- the relative absence of alternatives, much effort has been expended in
- making it networkable, and with some success. Various "solutions" have
- emerged using either DOS based peer-to-peer network packages such as
- Lantastic or the more powerful packages which undertake to graft CD-ROM
- onto networking software such as Novell NetWare or Microsoft LanManager.
- The Novell and LanManager approach offers the greater possibilities for
- wide access but so far neither package has incorporated support for CD-ROM,
- hence the grafting on by third party developers such as Online (Optinet)
- and MDI (SCSI Express). At the time of writing however it is rumoured that
- Novell may be about to announce a new version (3.2? or 4.0?) of NetWare
- that will incorporate CD-ROM support but this cannot be confirmed at
- present.
-
- But even as these CD-ROM networking solutions continue to improve, those
- involved with making them work continue to report many difficulties
- through, for example, the US based online discussion list CDROMLAN.
-
-
- Alternatives to CD-ROM in a network information strategy
-
- Four major alternatives to CD-ROM are identified but the question of which
- solution is most appropriate will of course depend upon the nature of the
- local strategic requirements.
-
- Online
-
- The most obvious alternative to CD-ROM is online access through
- conventional host arrangements. The main advantages of the online strategy
- are the speed of searching, the fact that the database will be in one file
- and searchable in a single step, that multiple database searching is
- possible (e.g. OneSearch from Dialog), and that it is likely to be more up
- to date than the CD-ROM equivalent. But online may be unattractive to
- librarians in terms of cost and ease of use to end-users. The normal
- pay-as-you-go method of charging makes it difficult to control costs. It
- may be possible however to negotiate unlimited access agreements with some
- hosts in return for a fixed subscription payment, though this is not yet
- commonplace.
-
- In terms of ease of use the main hosts have made great efforts recently to
- offer friendlier access to their services especially for "end-users". Thus
- Knowledge Index and the Business and Medical Connections from Dialog, After
- Dark (US) and Morning Search (Europe) from BRS, Business and Biomedical
- Focus from Data-Star and the recently launched Freeway from FT-Profile
- which allows searching to be conducted in Microsoft Windows, all offer
- end-user oriented interfaces. When the data networks currently used for
- online searching increase their bandwidth to allow friendlier graphic
- interfaces, or adopt client-server protocols such as Z39.50 (see below)
- that allow the interface to reside on the user workstation, the cosmetic
- differences between the two methods will disappear.
-
- An interesting new service has recently been launched by OCLC with the name
- FirstSearch. This combines the advantages of online with a good standard
- end-user interface for an impressive range of databases. These include the
- OCLC database, all the Wilson files, PAIS, GeoRef, Biosis, etc. Also
- interesting is the manner in which libraries can subscribe to the service.
- This is done on a standard cost "per-search" basis with the unit cost of
- the search varying between institutions according to overall their level of
- usage. The library can then buy FirstSearch Cards charged with multiples of
- search units (10 or 25). These can then be either sold or given to users
- (5, 8). This allows the library to control costs but perhaps the most
- important point about FirstSearch is that the costing has become very
- competitive at between 45 and 90 cents per search.
-
- Clearly as the old online model gives way to newer methods of searching and
- pricing the relationship between online and CD-ROM has to change but it is
- already clear that CD- ROM will not retain its predictable cost and ease of
- use advantages for too much longer.
-
- Local loading of tapes
-
- Many hosts will allow large scale users of their databases to subscribe to
- the service by means of delivery on magnetic tape. For example the H.W.
- Wilson Company has a tape service called WILSONTAPE. This would allow the
- organisation to load the tapes on a large and fast mainframe computer which
- could be accessed across an internal network. Depending on the number of
- users and the expected levels of usage this could be a popular option in
- terms of cost. The advantages of speed and file size again accrue but this
- time there is of course a timeliness problem. There would again be the
- question of the interface though it may be possible to use a locally
- preferred front-end. This is the case for example with the recently
- announced arrangement between Wilson and two US library automation vendors,
- Unisys PALS and Sirsi Corporation, whereby access is available to the
- Wilson databases through the WILSONTAPE service using the OPAC interface.
-
- Use of hard disks
-
- This looks like becoming a very popular option in the future for those that
- require a powerful solution. Currently it is possible to subscribe to
- databases from Silver Platter and CD-Plus whereby the information is
- stored on large hard disks. For large databases, such as Medline, it is
- necessary to use more than one hard disk. The software is capable of
- searching across the disks in the same way as with CD-ROM multi-disc
- products. The delivery of updates is by CD-ROM in the case of Silver
- Platter and by DAT tape in the case of CD-Plus. When received the data is
- merged with the existing database.
-
- The main drawback, when compared to conventional CD-ROM, of this approach
- is cost. The subscription is much higher and the hardware overheads are
- considerable. Depending on the size of the database to be loaded it may be
- necessary to purchase two or three very large, 1.2 GB, hard disks to
- accommodate it. The current cost of such a hard disk is in the region of
- 1500 Pounds Sterling. If the money can be found then this approach offers
- many advantages. In particular the search speed will be very good and there
- will be no networking problems.
-
- Load databases on JANET (or another academic network)
-
- A very interesting new option for academic institutions is the approach
- taken by CHEST and the academic community in Britain in reaching agreement
- with ISI to load their various databases on the JANET (Joint Academic
- NETwork) network. As all such institutions have free access to JANET this
- is a very attractive solution. The ISI databases, the various citation
- indexes, Current Contents, etc., have been loaded at Bath University
- Computing Centre under the name BIDS; Bath Information and Data Services.
- The deal struck with ISI requires universities etc. to buy into the service
- and pay an annual subscription for unlimited use. An new user interface has
- been written especially for the service and it is being enhanced, as is the
- service in general, all the time.
-
- The BIDS service has considerable advantages as a strategic information
- service. It can be made universally available to all staff and students, it
- has the same update frequency as the online files, an entire database can
- be searched and the response times are good. There is however a downside to
- this option. In particular the interface is not as easy or friendly as that
- found on most CD-ROM databases and in many universities there are
- restrictions to accessing JANET especially for students. The cost may also
- be a problem for those institutions that only require one or two of the
- many databases on offer.
-
- Other databases being considered by CHEST, after a user survey, for loading
- on JANET include Embase (after Medline negotiations proved unsuccessful),
- Inspec, Compendex, etc.
-
- It is clear that the information manager has difficult choices to make in
- choosing the optimum mix of technologies in the make up the bibliographic
- information strategy (6). The picture is both complicated and constantly
- changing with new technologies and enhancements to existing ones being
- announced all the time. In the next section we consider the question of how
- to bring disparate services together in a seamless presentation to the
- user.
-
-
- The user interface to an integrated service
-
- Under this heading we can consider the manner in which CD-ROM databases are
- incorporated into the mix of other technologies that go to make up the
- overall information service. In particular the concern is over the nature
- of the interface. The common goal of an information service strategy that
- incorporates a variety of technologies to deliver a service is to present
- the proverbial seamless interface.
-
- It is often suggested that CD-ROM may have brought considerable benefits to
- users of libraries but that it was unfortunate that there were so many
- different search interfaces and command languages to have to learn. This
- complaint sometimes develops into a plea for a common or standard interface
- for all CD-ROM (bibliographic) databases. Though in some ways this may be
- advantageous it doesn't take account of the fact that there are still other
- databases on other media which may use an entirely different front end. As
- it is a fairly safe assumption that there will never be a standard user
- interface to all bibliographic databases in all formats the more realistic
- aim of interoperability between products should be to make it possible to
- attach any chosen front-end to any "search engine". Thus it would be
- possible to select the databases required, regardless of media, and use a
- single preferred interface for accessing all of them. This would open up
- all kinds of possibilities such as using a familiar OPAC interface for
- searching CD-ROM databases.
-
- This "client-server" approach is the goal of various projects currently in
- progress. One such is the proposed "Data Exchange Standard" (DXS) from
- Silver Platter which plans to separate the interface (the client) from the
- search engine (the server) and establish standard rules whereby the two
- communicate. Rather than wait for such a standard to emerge elsewhere
- Silver Platter have decided to develop their own and, when ready, release
- it into the public domain. Other projects include the NISO Z39.50 standard
- (also known as ISO Search and Retrieve) which is concerned with networked
- databases generally though NISO has also formed a committee to look
- specifically at CD-ROM; CD-RDX an initiative of the US Government's
- Information Handling Committee; and the Structured Full-Text Query Language
- (SFQL) which seeks to build upon the standard SQL procedures for non-text
- databases and which emanates from the aerospace industry (1,2,3,7).
-
- Whichever standard emerges it will then be up to the various database
- producers to make their product compliant with the standard. If and when
- they do the job of the information service manager in tying all the
- elements of the service together will be significantly easier.
-
-
-
- References
-
- 1. Ciuffetti, P. Meeting the challenge: CD-ROM interchangeability. Silver
- Platter Exchange, 4(1) 1991, pp.7,9.
-
- 2. Dempsey, L. Libraries, networks and OSI. UK Office for Library
- Networking, 1991.
- 3. Hatvany, B. Interview with Bela Hatvany of Silver Platter. Electronic
- Library, 9(3) 1991, pp.188-191.
-
- 4. McSean, T. and Law, D. Is CD-ROM a transient technology? Library
- Association Record, 92(11) 1990, pp.837-838, 841.
-
- 5. O'Leary, M. FirstSearch takes the lead. Information Today, February
- 1992, pp.11-14.
- 6. Pagell, R. Planning your technology mix: decision factors that meet user
- needs. Electronic Library, 9(6) 1991, pp.319-324.
-
- 7. Rosen, L. CD-ROM interface activities could bring important changes to
- the industry. Information Today, May 1992, pp.26-27, 29.
-
- 8. Snure, K.R. The FirstSearch experience at the Ohio State University.
- Library Hi- Tech, 9(4) 1991. pp.25-36.
-
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- CURRENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
- INTERNET ACCESS TO CD-ROMS: AN EXPERIMENT
-
- by A.M. Addyman
- Dept of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Salford,
- Salford, U.K. AMAddyman@uk.ac.salford.mcs
-
-
- 1. WIDE AREA INFORMATION SERVERS
-
- 1.1. Background
-
- The Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) is a development of work done by
- Thinking Machines in the mid-1980s. Thinking Machines developed a parallel
- free-text retrieval system for their Connection Machine - a massively
- parallel computer [Ref 1].
-
- In 1989 they used the experience gained to initiate a research project to
- demonstrate "how current technology can be used to open a market of
- information services that will allow a user's workstation to act as
- librarian and information collection agent from a large number of sources"
- [Ref 2]. There are already a great variety of information servers
- available, e.g. BIDS, Medline, etc. that give the user access to databases
- and archives. These services are usually interactive, and each has its
- own distinct user interface that must be learned and remembered. Another
- difficulty with current services is that each is a separate island of
- information. Although a user may use the same wide area networks to access
- these information services sharing information between them is not easy, if
- indeed it is possible. So, for example, the staff developing the
- departmental network in Computer Science at Salford use several different
- information services, e.g. CompuServe, CIX, Usenet, Listservers, etc. Any
- information we wish to share has to be posted separately on each service;
- any questions we wish to pose have to asked on each service. This situation
- is bad for the academic community, as it restricts the flow of ideas, and
- it is bad for the information vendors as it restricts the growth of the
- market.
-
- 1.2. The Client, the Server and the Protocol
-
- The WAIS (Wide Area Information Server) system is made up of three parts:
- servers, clients and the interconnecting protocol. The server is
- responsible for indexing and retrieval of 'documents'; the client provides
- the user interface; and the protocol, which is a variant of NISO Z39.50
- [Ref 3], is used to carry the queries and the responses.
-
- A user interacts with the client to formulate a question, which is
- translated by the client into the WAIS protocol, and transmitted to the
- chosen server(s). On receipt of the query, the server translates it into
- its own query language, and searches for documents to satisfy the query. It
- then encodes the list of relevant documents into the WAIS protocol and
- sends it back to the client, which displays the list for the user, along
- with an indication of how relevant the server considered each document to
- be.
-
- Typically each document is described by a 'headline'. If the document were
- a newspaper article an actual headline would be used; for Usenet news it
- would be the subject; in the limit the system may have to use a filename.
- The user may then retrieve a document from the server, ask for other
- documents 'similar to' one already found, ask another question, etc. The
- server will use relevance feedback to determine which documents are similar
- to the chosen document.
-
- Once the user has formulated a question that can be sent to one or more
- servers, they can arrange for the question to be posed on a regular basis,
- if appropriate. If the database contains fixed information, e.g. the Bible
- or the Koran, this not be appropriate, but for some databases it may be
- done daily, weekly, or monthly - depending on the frequency with which the
- information in the database changes.
-
- 1.3. Current Developments
-
- The availability of the WAIS sources has lead to a considerable amount of
- international activity and development around the world. A number of
- institutions have created WAIS servers that can be accessed over the
- Internet. These cover a range of topics, e.g. the Bible, the Koran, US
- Supreme Court rulings, poetry, Internet Frcs, etc. Currently, work is in
- progress to produce a WAIS system that uses the draft 1992 version of
- Z39.50. This will be of considerable use to the Salford project as it will
- support Boolean queries as well as free-text retrieval.
-
-
- 2. NETWORKING CD-ROMS
-
- There are a number of different architectures that can be created to
- provide information retrieval from CD-ROMs across a network. Examples of
- these are:
-
- 1. The file server model. The data is held on a file server and is mounted
- virtually across the network. It is accessed with the search engine and
- user interface both running on the client. The full power of the client is
- available to provide a modern user interface, but the separation of the
- search engine and the data may lead to unacceptable network loading.
-
- 2. The multi-access model. The data is held on a multi-user machine, and is
- accessed with the search engine and user interface both running on the
- multi-user machine. The user can log on to the machine across the network
- using a virtual terminal protocol and use the programs to access the data.
- This configuration limits the load on the network, but fails to use any of
- the power of the client (usually a PC, at least).
-
- 3. The information server model. The data and the search engine are on an
- information server, which is accessed with user interface software running
- on a client. Communication between the user interface on the client and the
- search engine on the server is provided by an information retrieval
- protocol, such as Z39.50 [Ref 3].
-
- The location of the search engine on the server and the user interface on
- the client should limit the impact on the network while providing a modern
- user interface.
-
- 3. A PROTOTYPE CD-ROM INFORMATION SERVER
-
- At Salford we are currently working to develop a prototype CD-ROM server
- that uses the Information Server model. To develop a prototype of such a
- system, it will be necessary to remove the information retrieval engine
- from the existing WAIS code and replace it by an interface that will enable
- the server to access CD-ROMs using their own search engines. This is
- necessary for two reasons (a) many CD-ROMs are accessed using a proprietary
- search engine, (b) the WAIS server will be able to access existing CD-ROM
- servers - this will enable institutions to experiment with the prototype
- without having to abandon their existing CD-ROM service. As the proprietary
- search engines are DOS or Windows applications and have an integral user
- interface, it will be necessary to control them via this interface using a
- software robot. There are a number of other ways in which the WAIS server
- could be interfaced to the CD-ROMs, e.g. obtain (reverse engineer?) the
- file structures on the CD- ROM so that new software can be written that
- uses the existing index, or identify the files holding the information (not
- the index) and re-index them to suit the WAIS software.
-
- These approaches are also being investigated. In the future all this should
- not be necessary as there are a number of on-going developments, e.g.
- CD-RDX (Compact Disc Read Only Data Exchange) and SFQL (Structured
- Full-Text Query Language), that may lead to the separation of the user
- interface and the search engine in commercial products.
-
- The first version of the prototype will use the current WAIS client
- software, as clients already exist for DOS, Windows, the Apple Macintosh,
- for UNIX, and for X-Windows. We suspect that the design of the user
- interface of the client may be critical to the acceptability of the system,
- so client development will be needed (see later). As the Z39.50 protocol
- that links the client and the server uses TCP/IP it should be easy for
- clients to access the server across a campus LAN, across JANET, or by
- dial-up using SLIP (serial line IP), or the ICC Remote Lan Node product
- (Ref 4).
-
- The full information server prototype at Salford will be based on a NetWare
- file server to which the CD-ROMs will be interfaced using the SCSI Express
- software. The WAIS software is being ported to NetWare to run as an NLM -
- this is the NetWare equivalent of a UNIX daemon. One or more embedded PC
- card processors will be used to run the software robots, but the initial
- work is using normal PCs for ease of development. This architecture will
- keep all the search traffic within the server itself as the internal bus of
- the fileserver will be used for communication between the different
- processors. Only the interactions with the clients will impact the network.
-
- The specifics of this prototype design are dictated by the fact that the
- avail able CD-ROM search engines are MS-DOS or Windows applications, and
- are combined with user interfaces. Every effort is being made to produce a
- prototype system which could easily be ported back to UNIX. Indeed, if the
- right hardware and software combination were to become available later in
- the year, we would like to experiment with a UNIX development of the
- system.
-
- 4. DEVELOPMENT ISSUES
-
- The use of an information server-based approach will hide the application
- specific user interface. This will benefit most users, because they won't
- have to learn many different interfaces, but may hinder others if they are
- prevented from using some application specific functions that cannot be
- easily mapped onto the current WAIS client interface. We believe that work
- will be needed to develop a single client application that is suitable for
- use with a variety of CD-ROMs. Although this issue is important, we are
- concentrating initial work on the development of the server. Once this is
- working we will be able to use it gain user input into the client interface
- design.
-
- 5. THE INITIAL PROTOTYPE
-
- Prior to the development of the full prototype, we are developing an
- initial prototype that does not rely on a NetWare fileserver as all. This
- server is based on Windows rather than NetWare, and is designed for use
- with any existing CD-ROM LAN or even with directly attached CD-ROMs.
- Windows has been chosen as it provides limited multi-tasking and because it
- is able to run the DOS search engines directly. Thus we have been able to
- create an experimental server much more quickly. Only one machine has been
- needed for most of the server development. Three will be needed for the
- development of the full prototype. For those who are interested, the
- software has been created using the WATCOM 32-bit C compiler (so it is a
- 32-bit Windows application) and it uses Automatormi as the software robot.
-
- 6. TIME SCALES AND FUNDING
-
- The development of the prototype outlined here has been made possible by a
- grant from the Information Services Committee of the University Funding
- Council, which has partially funded the work for a 12 month period. We hope
- to have the initial version of the server functioning towards the end of
- the summer of 1992 and will be making it available for access on the
- Internet as soon as we think it is stable. The only obvious problem to be
- addressed now is the choice of CD-ROMs to mount on the initial prototype.
- Clearly, they would need to be licensed by simultaneous use rather than for
- organisational or campus use.
-
- 7. REFERENCES
-
- Ref 1. "Parallel Free-Text Search on the Connection Machine System",
- Stangill, C.
- and Kahle, B., Communications of the ACM, Vol. 29, Number 12, pp1229-1239.
- Ref 2. "Wide Area Information Server Concepts", Kahle, B; Thinking Machines
- Technical Memo DR89-1. (see also R.M.Stein "Browsing Through Terabytes",
- Byte Magazine pp157-164, May 1991)
- Ref 3. NISO Z39.50-1988: Information Retrieval Service Definition and
- Protocol Specification for Library Applications. National Information
- Standards Organisation
- (Z39), P.O. Box 1056, Bethesda, MD 20817.
- Ref 4. "RLN Spells Long-Distance Ethernet",Nance, B., Byte Magazine
- pp339-340, June 1992.
-
-
-
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- REVIEWS AND EVALUATIONS
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- CD-PLUS NETWORKING
- by Alan Neville, University of Manchester, UK
-
- Many different versions of MEDLINE are available on CD-ROM, each with its
- own advantages and drawbacks. As new features are constantly being added,
- attempts to select the "best" version for one's own circumstances soon lead
- to complete bewilderment in all but the unusually decisive.
-
- The CD-Plus product has several features which will interest those who wish
- to network MEDLINE. CD-Plus have packed the MEDLINE database on a
- relatively small number of discs (7), allowing several years to be searched
- without swapping disks. The user interface is very popular with Medical
- Librarians, allowing both the sophistication preferred by experienced users
- and an easy-to-use novice mode. CD-Plus regard their "mapping" feature as
- particularly important. Novice users need not be familiar with the
- intricacies of the MEDLINE indexing system - searchers can enter search
- requests in natural language (eg heart attack) and they will be guided
- towards the appropriate MeSH heading (Myocardial Infarction) and related
- terms, then offered a list subheadings to select. If MEDLINE is being
- networked to remote workstations with no easy access to a friendly
- experienced user or librarian, it is very important that the interface is
- particularly friendly and prevents the novice user from reaching the wrong
- conclusions from a search which failed because of his/her ignorance of the
- niceties of the indexing system.
-
- CD-Plus provide two turnkey networks which overcome the problem of slow
- CD-ROM access times by transferring some (PlusNet1) or all (PlusNet2) of
- the information from CD-ROM to magnetic disk. Both PlusNet1 and PlusNet2
- are based on high performance Novell Netware 386 file servers with very
- large hard disks. The PlusNet1 server has an eight-drive CD-ROM unit, but
- speeds up searching by having the indexing on a 700Mb hard disk. PlusNet2
- takes advantage of the rapidly reducing cost of very large hard disks - the
- whole MEDLINE database is stored on 6000Mb of hard disk. Up to 20
- simultaneous users are supported on PlusNet2, with no appreciable
- degradation in response time. (When we have 20 active MEDLINE users on our
- Opti-Net, there is by comparison a very marked degradation in
- performance!!). The PlusNet server can be accessed either from a PC in the
- local network, or from a terminal/terminal emulation via a RS232
- line/dial-up modem into one of PlusNet's remote access units. The database
- is updated via a DAT (digital audio tape) drive on the server.
-
- As PlusNet is based on Novell Netware 386, it can use Netware accounting
- features to compile information on users and usage, allowing billing of
- users, limiting access at peak times and providing priority access to
- privileged users. The printing of excessive numbers of references can be
- prevented, and the system administrator can examine the nature of searches
- and their success or failure.
-
- The two PlusNets provide high performance user-friendly networking of
- MEDLINE (and some other databases) suitable for a sizable institution.
- However, as with most quality products, they are very expensive to install.
- (CD-Plus's UK telephone no. is +44 (0)81 748-3777 if you want the latest
- prices.)
-
- Alan Neville
- John Rylands University Library of Manchester
- Oxford Rd., Manchester M13 9PP.
- Tel +44 (0)61 275-3751 Fax +44 (0)61 273-7488
- Email A.F.Neville@UK.AC.Manchester
-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
- FORTHCOMING EVENTS AND CONFERENCES
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- 9-10 Sep. 1992: International Library Technology Fair. Venue:
- University of Hertfordshire, UK. Further information:
- Office of the International Library Technology Fair,
- University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield,
- AL10 9AD, UK. Tel: +44 (0)707 279653 Fax: +44 (0)707
- 279670
-
- 18-20 Sep. 1992: Library Association Information Technology Group Annual
- Conference. Venue: St. Martin's College, Lancaster, UK.
- Further information: Catherine Hume, 37 Queens Road,
- London, N2 2AG, UK. Tel: +44 (0)71 580 5533 x4307
-
- 21-23 Sep. 1992: Information Networking: conference organised by
- Meckler. Venue: Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Amsterdam,
- Netherlands. Further information: Meckler Ltd., 247-249
- Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1HQ Tel: +44 (0)71
- 931 9985
-
- 7-9 Oct. 1992: ORBIS - Euroinfo meeting. Venue: Hotel Meridien
- Montparnasse, Paris, France. Further information: Jean
- E Mulligan, Learned Information Ltd., Woodside, Hinksey
- Hill, Oxford OX1 5AU, UK. Tel: +44 (0)865 730275 Fax:
- +44 (0)865 736354
-
- 12-14 Oct. 1992: Text Retrieval 92: Information Now - IIS Text Retrieval
- Conference and Exhibition. Venue: Cavendish Conference
- Centre, London W1. Contact: IIS, 44-45 Museum Street,
- London, WC1A 1LY, UK Tel: +44 (0)71 831 8003 Fax: +44
- (0)71 430 1270
-
- 12-15 Oct. 1992: 15th International Essen Symposium - "Opportunity 2000:
- Understanding and Serving Users in an Electronic
- Library". Venue: University of Essen, Germany. Further
- information: Dr. Ahmed Helal, Universitaetsbibliothek
- Essen, Universitaetsstrasse 9, 4300 Essen 1, Germany.
- Tel: +49 (0)201 1 83 37 00 Fax: +49 (0)201 1 83 32 31
-
- 3-5 Nov. 1992: Network Service Conference 1992. Venue: Pisa, Italy.
- Further information: Nadine Grange, EARN Office, c/o
- CIRCE, BP 167, F01403 Orsay, France. Tel: +33 1 69 82
- 39 73 Fax: +33 1 69 28 52 73 or by email:
- NSCINFO@FRORS12
-
- 10 Nov. 1992: "Trends in CD-ROM Networking": a one day seminar
- organised by the CD-ROM/Information Networking Group.
- Venue: Manchester, UK. Contact: Alan Neville, Senior
- Information Officer, John Rylands Library, Manchester,
- UK. Tel +44 (0)61 275-3751 Fax +44(0)61 273-7488 Email:
- A.F.Neville@UK.AC.Manchester
-
- 8-10 Dec. 1992: Online/CD-ROM Information 92 Venue: Olympia 2, London.
- Further details: Jean Mulligan, Learned Information
- Ltd., Woodside, Hinksey Hill, Oxford OX1 5AU, UK Tel:
- +44 (0)865 730275
-
-
- Please send details of any similar events for inclusion in the next edition
- to:-
- Rosemary Russell, Library Information Technology Centre, South Bank
- Technopark, 90 London Road, London SE1 6LN, UK
-
-
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- HOW TO GET COPIES OF INFORMATION NETWORKING NEWS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
- INFORMATION NETWORKING NEWS is available electronically through the
- following sources:-
-
- 1) the CD-ROM-NETWORK @ UK.AC.JNT discussion list: to add your name to
- this list, simply send a request to CD-ROM-NETWORK-REQUEST @ UK.AC.JNT
-
- 2) the CDROMLAN @ IDBSU mailing list: to join this list send a message to
- LISTSERV @ IDBSU containing the single line "SUBSCRIBE CDROMLAN
- Yourfirstname Yourlast name" eg. "SUBSCRIBE CDROMLAN Alan Smith"
-
- 3) on the BUBL Bulletin Board in the UK: to access this service:-
- - from JANET, connect to GLA.BUBL (or 00007110004011)
- - from IXI: connect to 20433450710511
- - from Internet: telnet to SUN.NSF.AC.UK, login: janet, hostname:
- uk.ac.glasgow.bubl
-
- The POST facility may be used to email copies to your mailbox: read
- section A9 for instructions.
-
- 4) back copies are available by ftp from the LIBSOFT archive at the
- University of Western Ontario, Canada. To access this archive:-
-
- a) FTP to HYDRA.UWO.CA (129.100.2.13)
- b) Login as ANONYMOUS, and give your email address as a password.
- c) Type CD LIBSOFT to change to the LIBSOFT directory.
- d) Type GET + filename to retrieve the file you want (GET
- INFNETNEWS2.TXT for this issue)
- e) Type CLOSE to close the connection
- f) Type QUIT to leave the FTP software.
-
-
- The filename for this issue is INFNETNEWS2.TXT.
-
- Any other distribution lists or archive sites who would like to disseminate
- or archive copies of INFORMATION NETWORKING NEWS, please contact Richard
- Gartner at the Bodleian Library, Oxford (GARTNER @ UK.AC.OX.VAX).
-
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- EDITORIAL BOARD
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- INFORMATION NETWORKING NEWS is produced by the UK's CD-ROM and Information
- Networking Group: its editorial board comprises:-
-
- - Richard Gartner, Bodleian Library, Oxford, OX1 3BG UK
- Tel: +44 (0)865 277060 Email: GARTNER@UK.AC.OX.VAX
-
- - Michele Shoebridge, Main Library, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston,
- Birmingham, B15 2TT UK Tel: +44 (0)21 414 5835
- Email: M.I.SHOEBRIDGE@UK.AC.BHAM
-
- - Doug Moncur, Computing Service, University of York, Heslington, York
- YO1 5DD UK Tel: +44 (0)904 433815 Email: D.MONCUR@UK.AC.YORK
-
- - Paul Leman, Computing Service, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Email: CS1PJL@UK.AC.SHEFFIELD.PRIMEA
-
-
- Any contributions for future issues should be sent to any member of the
- editorial board. Suggestions, comments etc, are most welcome. Any archive
- site or distribution list requiring copies, please contact Richard Gartner
- at the above address.
-
- PLEASE NOTE: The ISSN for this journal was inadvertently misquoted in issue
- 1: the version given on this issue is correct. Our apologies for any
- inconvenience caused by this.
-
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