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Current Cities Volume 03 Number 07
_Current_Cites_
Volume 3, no. 7
July 1992
Library Technology Watch Program
University of California, Berkeley
Edited by David F.W. Robison
ISSN: 1060-2356
Contributors:
Teri Rinne, Vivienne Roumani, Lisa Rowlison, Mark Takaro, Roy Tennant
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Electronic Publishing
Laws, Kenneth L. "net.journalism" Serials Review 18(1-2)
(Spring-Summer 1992):82-84. The varieties and quantities of
information available on the net, if not already overloading the
user, will soon reach such a great quantity as to thoroughly
overwhelm the net traveler. This information is of value and so
cannot be abandoned; however, there does not yet exist a well
organized/indexed method of access to the information - finding
what one needs is often hit or miss. Laws suggests that the
commercialization of the net will help this by providing services
tailored to users' needs. Information brokers (net journalists)
will cull information from various net sources and sell
"newspaper-like" (electronic) publications to those interested.
With this sort of development, Laws predicts a division of the
diffuse group of net users into classes- from those who can and
will pay to subscribe to elite groups, on down to the
"impecunious users" who will receive publicly supported
services. This collation of net information, driven by user
need and the forces of a free market, will, according to Laws'
view, benefit all users, net journalists and authors (who will
receive due royalties). - LR
Dougherty, Richard M. "A 'Factory' for Scholarly Journals"
Chronicle of Higher Education 38(41) (June 17, 1992):B1, B3. In
this excellent opinion piece, Dougherty shows the distance
between where libraries are now with respect to journal
publishing, and how far there is yet to travel to make it to the
electronic library. He recognizes that there is one problem we
all face now - we are unsure what the next step is in the
process of transformation. He makes the very interesting and
thoughtful proposal to create the "Universal Journal Factory."
This enterprise would consist of academia taking responsibility
for publishing its scholars works, perhaps by creating a
company-like consortium of several universities. This would
provide a transition to the electronic, thus avoiding the
"electronic plunge." Dougherty says, "while we have the
expertise, and we can find the money if we really desire change,
the question remains: Do we have the will to seize the
opportunity?" Indeed. - LR
Hyper- and Multimedia
Barron, Gary. "The Role of Optical Technology in Megamedia
Applications" CD-ROM Professional 5(4) (July 1992):36-40. The
new IBM Illuminated Books and Manuscripts package serves as an
example of a fully integrated megamedia (or "Ultimedia" to quote
IBM) application. Along with the Knowledge System Platform (a
PS2 M57 SLC with a 160 MB hard disk, 8 MB of RAM, video and audio
cards and an internal read/write optical disk together with a
Pioneer 8000 laser disc player), the introduction of packages
such as this make the case for stand-alone systems that provide
users with both flexibility and control. An accompanying sidebar
suggests how the Columbus Project and the Illuminated Books
products lend themselves to adaptation for specific educational
goals. - MT
Herther, Nancy K. "The MPC - A Progress Report" CD-ROM
Professional 5(4) (July 1992):10-11. An interesting summary of
the progress toward multimedia compatibility, the obstacles new
users will encounter and the hopes for the future of the medium.
Since Microsoft "controls the game and owns virtually all the
marbles," development of independent products will be slowed
until the MPC (multi-media PC) platform enjoys a broader
installation base. - MT
"Roundtable: Making Sense of Multimedia" BYTE 17(5) (May
1992):107-110. A brief discussion, moderated by Tom Yager of
BYTE's Multimedia Lab, that asks some key questions about the
future of multimedia computing. While technical issues are
touched upon, the most important aspect of the debate centers on
how multimedia will further our ability to communicate
effectively. - MT
Schultz, David A. "The Seventh International Conference and
Exposition on Multimedia and CD-ROM" CD-ROM Professional 5(4)
(July 1992):53-57. A critical review of the conference and
exposition held in San Francisco in March 1992, by a systems
engineer who looks carefully at the proceedings. The conference
theme of Charting The Course provides a focus for some thoughtful
talks on the implications of multimedia in education and the
author chooses his own favorites from the wealth of products
demonstrated at the exposition. - MT
Yager, Tom "Winning Graphics" BYTE 17(6) (June 1992):131-140. In
the third part of a series on Practical Desktop Video, Yager
explores the benefits of integrating basic graphics into
multimedia presentations. The excitement of video and audio
presentation can lead us to overlook the importance of well-
constructed graphics as an accompaniment to desktop-produced
videos. The capabilities of new software can make even the
least artistic of us ready to produce professional presentations.
A "company information" box follows the article. - MT
Information Transfer
Cox, John and Terry Hanson "Setting Up an Electronic Current
Awareness Service" Online 16(4) (July 1992):36-43. Cox and
Hanson, describing their experience at the Royal Free Hospital
School of Medicine and Portsmouth Polytechnic, respectively,
report on the benefits of establishing an electronic current
awareness database for their patrons. Using CD-ROM technology,
and Pro-Cite and Reference Manager personal bibliographic
software, they describe downloading and importing data, and
copyright issues. - VR
Goldstein, Cindy "Statement of the Association of American
Publishers on Commercial and Fee-Based Document Delivery"
Posting on PACS-L@UHUPVM1 and ILL-L@UVMVM and MEDLIB-L@UBVM
(July 1, 1992). Goldstein reports on the Association of
American Publishers' statement regarding commercial and fee-
based document delivery, ILL, and copyright. A very informative
article on the background of the AAP statement, the present
copyright regulations, the CONTU guidelines and the problems
for today and the future of ILL and document delivery. - VR
Jul, Erik "FTP: Full-Text Publishing?" Computers in Libraries
12(5) (May 1992):41-42. Jul posits that "with all of its
limitations and inherent problems...FTP [is a] primary method
of electronic publication." - VR
Schuyler, Michael "Evil of Fax" Computers in Libraries 12(5) (May
1992):29-30. In his column, "Systems Librarian and Automation
Review," Schuyler describes the fax as "the wrong technology at
the right time." The PC is a more effective, more efficient,
and more economical method to do what the fax does and more. He
concludes by saying that fax technology has caused the setting
back "of machine retrievable documentation by many years." - VR
Sessions, Judith and Hwa Wei Lee, et al. "OhioLINK: Technology
and Teamwork Transforming Ohio Libraries" Wilson Library
Bulletin 66(10) (June 1992):43-45. OhiloLink is an automation
project that will link Ohio's state library, two medical school
libraries, and 15 university libraries to form a statewide
network of information, and user initiated document delivery.
- VR
Wilson, David L. "Data Base Will Focus on Materials from
Roosevelt's WPA" The Chronicle of Higher Education (15 July
1992):A19. In the "Technology Update" column, Wilson describes
a project headed by John O'Connor, associate professor of
English at George Mason University. Through scanning and
entering text, O'Connor is developing a database of "cultural
materials created under President Roosevelt's Works Progress
Administration." - VR
--- "Library of Congress Offers Computer Access to Once-Secret
Soviet Documents" The Chronicle of Higher Education (June 24,
1992):A17, A19. Users are now able to electronically access
parts of an exhibit of "once-secret Soviet documents" on
display at the Library of Congress, some of which have been
translated into English. - VR
Networks and Networking
Electronic Frontier Foundation "The Electronic Frontier
Foundation's Open Platform Proposal" available via
anonymous ftp from ftp.eff.org in directory pub/EFF/papers
as open-platform-proposal. This document describes the
EFF's proposal to increase the range of telecommunications
services, expand the market for these services, protect
first amendment rights and privacy of users, and provide
wide and low cost access to such services by developing
the ISDN platform. ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
is a switching technology "which allows low-cost communication
in data, voice, video, and graphic media over the exiting
copper telephone network." - DR
IEEE Communications Magazine 30(6) (June 1992). This issue
contains numerous articles on recent technological and
administrative developments in the personal communications
services (PCS) (personal communications network (PCN) in Europe
version of PCS - industry. While most of these articles refer
to person-to-person telephony, these developments apply to
all wireless data services. As the industry progresses, we
will probably see the NREN serving wireless users. The
articles include:
o Adams, Danny E. and Carl R. Frank "WARC Embraces PCN"
While focused on the administrative issues, this article
offers a good explanation of the logistics of the planned
network.
o Hardy, G. Todd "Personal Communications Services" pp.53-54.
Hardy provides a quick look at where PCSs fit in the future
of telecommunications.
o Lipman, Andrew D. "Leaping from the Barricades" pp.34-36.
Lipman applauds the FCC for (finally) getting down to
business and beginning to establish rules for the allocation
of radio bands for PCSs.
o Ormerod, John and Alex Butterworth "The Ideal
Communications Service" pp.38-42. Development of the
personal communications network has moved faster in Europe
than elsewhere, giving the EC a preeminent position in the
industry.
o Taylor, Jack T. "PCS in the U.S. and Europe" pp.48-50.
Following up on Ormerod, Taylor explains how Europe's lead
in developing PCSs has goaded the US into being more
active.
o Wimmer, Kurt A. and J. Barclay Jones "Global Development
of PCS" pp.22-27 Summarizes the developments in various
countries around the world. - DR
"House Allows NSF to Relax Acceptable Use Policies" EFFector
ONline 3(0) (July 4, 1992). Available via anonymous ftp from
ftp.eff.org in directory pub/EFF/newsletters. A house bill
passed that includes a provision that will allow commercial
use of the Internet provided that the services support
research and education. A similar change is before the
Senate in its NASA Reauthorization bill. - DR
Nickerson, Gord "Effective Use of Usenet" Computers in Libraries
12(5) (May 1992):38-40. This article describes Usenet as a
viable alternative for getting libraries into electronic
networking at low-cost. - VR
Rheingold, Howard "A Slice of Life in My Virtual Community"
EFFector ONline 2(11)-3(0) (June 22-July 4, 1992). Available
via anonymous ftp from ftp.eff.org in directory
pub/EFF/newsletters. Issued in three parts, virtual reality
guru Howard Rheingold provides us with an interesting look
at what a virtual community is, how it works, what are the
benefits and disadvantages of such communication. - DR
Rinaldi, Arlene H. "The Net: User Guidelines and Netiquette"
posted on NETTRAIN@UBVM on 7/8/92 and available via anonymous
from ftp.sura.net in directory pub/nic as filename
nettiquette.txt. Rinaldi has provided users with a quick
guide to being a good net citizen. While some of the
suggestions may not be applicable in all situations, this
paper is a good candidate for your network library. - DR
Rizzo, John "VITAL Points the Way" MacUser 8(8) (August 1992):
201-205. Rizzo describes Apple's new model for multi-platform,
networked distributed processing. This system will run on
the next generation of Mac servers running A/UX 4.0 (UNIX).
- DR
Sinha, Alok "Client Server Computing" Communications of the ACM
35(7) (July 1992):77-98. This article opens with a detailed
description of the client-server model and can provide a good
introduction to some of the benefits of distributed computing.
On the down side, the article gets fairly technical and is
focused on the LAN environment, though much of the same issues
apply in the WAN environment. - DR
U.S. Congress. Senate. "Information Infrastructure and
Technology Act of 1992." 102nd Cong., 2nd sess., draft
dated June 30, 1992. Available via anonymous ftp from
nic.merit.edu in directory /nren/iita.1992 as file
gorebill.1992.txt or by sending e-mail to
nis-info@nic.merit.edu, no subject, text:
get gorebill.1992.txt. A copy of this draft legislation
along with Gore's press release was published by Steve Cisler
on PACS-L@UHUPVM1 in four parts on July 8th. This legislation
takes the NREN another step further, asking for funding(!) for
specific projects, such as access for K-12 and health
care providers.
Optical Disc Technology
Clark, Katie "To Cancel or Not to Cancel (Print Indexes)" CD-ROM
Professional 5(4) (July 1992):126-128. "In these times of
tightening budgets" writes Clark, "libraries are taking a closer
look at duplicate subscriptions, including titles duplicated in
paper and compact disc." Indeed, the debate is no longer
whether or not to buy CD-ROMs, but whether or not to cancel the
duplicate print index. Clark outlines the issues librarians
should consider before making this decision: license agreements,
coverage, database content, retrieval software, frequency of
updates, user preferences, cost considerations, and space
concerns. - TR
Koren, Judy "Multiuser Access to CD-ROM Drives Without a CD-ROM
LAN" CD-ROM Professional 5(4) (July 1992):59-66. Koren presents
alternative ways of providing multiuser access to CD-ROMs
mounted on a single workstation without the benefit of a local
area network. Among the configurations described are CD drives
connected directly to a campus network, a PC CD-ROM server
connected to a VAX, and CD drives on a VAX/VMS or SUN/UNIX.
Advantages and disadvantages of each configuration are
discussed. - TR
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Current Cites 3(7) (July 1992) ISSN: 1060-2356
Copyright (C) 1992 by the Library, University of
California, Berkeley. All rights reserved.
All product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective holders. Mention of a product in this publication
does not necessarily imply endorsement of the product.
Copying is permitted for noncommercial use by computerized
bulletin board/conference systems, individual scholars, and
libraries. Libraries are authorized to add the journal to their
collections at no cost. This message must appear on copied
material. All commercial use requires permission from the editor,
who may be reached in the following ways:
drobison@library.berkeley.edu // drobison@ucblibra // (510)642-7600
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