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Current Cities Volume 05 Number 02
_Current_Cites_
Volume 5, no. 2
February 1994
Information Systems Instruction & Support
The Library
University of California, Berkeley
Edited by Teri Andrews Rinne
ISSN: 1060-2356
Contributors:
Nathan Meyer, David Rez, Richard Rinehart, Roy Tennant
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Electronic Publishing
Frappaolo, Carl "The Language of the Electronic Document"
CD-ROM Professional 7(1) (January 1994):133-139. Frappaolo
introduces an excerpt from the _Electronic Publishing Glossary_
compiled by the Delphi Consulting Group. Electronic Document
Management Systems (EDMS) are a composite of many technologies,
such as image processing, artificial intelligence, text retrieval,
networking and multimedia. The combination has created a jargon
that the newcomer to EDMS might find intimidating. A glossary of
terms and acronyms for this unique EDMS vernacular has become both
necessary and desirable. - DR
Hypermedia and Multimedia
Grotophorst, Clyde W. "Hypertext for Windows: Developing Databases
for the Winhelp Engine" Library Software Review 12(4) (Winter
1993):14-20. Winhelp is the program Windows uses to display its
online Help feature, purely as a viewer. This article describes
how to use Winhelp as an authoring tool to create hypertext files.
Winhelp, much like HyperCard for the Macintosh, runs on a popular
platform, and features linked terms (or pictures or icons),
keyword searching, the ability to retrace one's path in the
non-linear hypertext environment, and more. Winhelp is free with
Windows, but it is not supported as an authoring tool, making this
article valuable as a source for the relevant details. - RR
"Library of Congress to Create Electronic Archives Using Bernstein
Collection" Government Imaging 3(1) (January/February 1994):cover.
The Library of Congress will use a gift from the estate of late
composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein to create "The Bernstein
Collection," a collection of multimedia resources focusing on music.
This collection will form the core of LC's growing multimedia
collection, and LC hopes to utilize the electronic nature of the
collection by linking these resources with similar collections
around the country, expanding access both ways. - RR
Mazur, F.E. "Now Appearing in the Computer Spreadsheet: Movies
Finding New Multimedia Applications" CD-ROM Professional 7(1)
(January 1994):44-45. When Cornell University's Interactive
Multimedia Group conducted a study of collaborative
problem-solving in the networked environment, they had
test groups work on a project, using teleconferencing to share
information to solve problems. As interesting as the study itself
however is the way they chose to relate their findings via
multimedia spreadsheet. The final report consists of an Excel
spreadsheet in which cells hold transcribed conversations,
along with analytical notes, as well as Quicktime movies of
the online talks. This is an important change in that now
original data in many academic studies need not be separate
from the final analysis, which would normally consist of a
journal article. Having the source data at hand allows peers
to more accurately judge the study, and to re-use the data
for further studies. The current problem of scant mechanisms
for distributing multimedia academic articles dims only slightly
the implications presented here. - RR
Robin, Michael "Learning Through Experience" Microtimes (119)
(February 7, 1994):96-108. San Francisco's Exploratorium Museum
has been doing "interactive multimedia" education for over 25
years. Most of their exhibits have been mechanical/electronic
3-D exhibits focusing on human perception, and they had to
be visited on site (a pleasure well worth it). The Exploratorium
sets the standard for other museums by exploiting multimedia at
its best: education so engaging it removes the distance between
learner and subject. Now The Exploratorium is taking its mission
onto the Net with an ftp, gopher, and a World Wide Web server.
One interesting item was an interactive part of an AIDS exhibit
which has the visitor try to maneuver a digital 'ball' on a Mac
through a maze of defenses to the center; showing how the HIV
infects the human host, from the view of the virus. Note that the
text of this article does not mention the ftp or gopher address,
but if you look closely at the WWW picture on page 108, you can
just make out the URL line. - RR
Networks and Networking
Baker, Frank M. "Navigating the Network with NCSA Mosaic"
EDUCOM Review 29(1) (January/February 1994):46-51. For
Internet users with directly connected Macintosh,
MS Windows, or X computers, NCSA Mosaic is an essential
piece of software. Mosaic uses the draft Uniform Resource
Locator (URL) standard to provide access to a wealth of
Internet-based information. Although Mosaic is primarily
known as a World-Wide Web client, it also provides quick
and easy access to Gophers, FTP archive sites, and basically
anything that can be described by a URL. In addition,
Mosaic is designed to handle graphic images, sounds, and
moving pictures in association with additional freeware
and shareware programs. This article is the best overview
of Mosaic, its capabilities, what makes it work, and where
to get the files that I have yet seen. - RT
Cronin, Mary J. "Internet Business Sources" DATABASE 16(6) (December
1993):47-52. Besides giving an overview of Internet business
resources, Cronin throws in some good advice regarding the
volatility of Internet information, the varying levels of server
quality and the difficulty of being certain that one has located
an up-to-date and reliable source of information. The article
does not include commercial business services and only mentions
a few electronic discussions and serials, but it covers some
of the essential Internet-accessible business resources. For
more comprehensive coverage, however, Internet users should
also peruse the guides available on the University of Michigan
Clearinghouse for Subject-Oriented Internet Resource Guides
[URL:gopher://una.hh.lib.umich.edu:70/11/inetdirs]. - RT
Deutsch, Peter "Preserving and Promoting the 'Internet Culture'"
Internet World 5(2) (March/April 1994):52-55. A thoughtful, well-
written, and entertaining muse about the culture of the Internet and
how it may be endangered -- but more importantly how we can help
preserve it. This article could not have appeared at a more opportune
time, as network "old-timers" are bristling at an onslaught of
hundreds of thousands of new users brought onto the Internet by
commercial networks. We would all do well to reflect on the
qualities of the Internet that we cherish the most and do what we
can to preserve them, which is exactly Deutsch's point. - RT
Eagan, Ann "Order Out of Chaos: Science Databases on the Internet"
Database 16(6) (December 1993):62-67. Although Eagan fails to
deliver on the promise of her title (bringing "order" to Internet
"chaos"? -- you've got to be kidding!), she nonetheless provides
a good overview of the various systems one must use to find
information on the Internet. The accompanying sidebar by
Susan Starr contains most of the resource-specific information,
although other sources must be consulted to gain a more complete
overview of Internet-accessible science resources. - RT
"Electronic Communication at the White House" EDUCOM Review 29(1)
(January/February 1994):16-18. Ever wonder who and what is behind
the first Internet-connected White House? EDUCOM takes you behind
the scenes with an interview of Jock Gill, the person most
responsible for bringing the White House out of the
electronic dark ages. - RT
Gaffin, Adam "Visiting Museums on the Internet," Internet World
5(2) (March/April 1994):24-29. A good overview of some of the museums
which have made information about their collections and sometimes
pictures and reproductions of museum holdings available to Internet
users. Although the author only plugs Gopher, Telnet and anonymous
FTP access to museum information, those who have access to NCSA
Mosaic in any of its three versions (X, MS Windows, or Macintosh)
should run, not walk, to [URL: http://ucmp1.berkeley.edu] to see
one of the most well-developed network-based museums around: the
UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology. - RT
"Government Information Locator Service (GILS) Draft Report to
the Information Infrastructure Task Force" (January 22, 1994 Draft)
[URL: ftp://130.11.48.107/pub/gils.txt]. - An updated version
of the document cited in the November 1993 issue of Current Cites,
prepared by Eliot Christian of the U.S. Geological Survey and
the Locator Subgroup of the Interagency Working Group on
Public Access. A Microsoft Word for Windows version of the
document is also available at the same site with the filename
"gils.doc". GILS is to be a system to help users locate government-
produced information in a networked environment. - RT
Gumprecht, Blake "Internet Sources of Government Information"
College & Research Libraries News 55(1) (January 1994):19-22.
A slightly condensed version of a guide available electronically
[URL: ftp://ftp.nwnet.net/user-docs/government/gumprecht-guide.txt]
of Internet-accessible government information. - RT
"Principles for the Development of the National Information
Infrastructure," Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure
Policy Forum, American Library Association, [n.d., n.p.]. This
slim pamphlet is short on text but long on importance.
Representatives from fifteen national library and information
associations met in the fall of 1993 to discuss policy issues relating
to the emerging National Information Infrastructure (NII). This
pamphlet outlines the consensus they reached on principles
in the following areas: First Amendment, Privacy, Intellectual
Property, Ubiquity, Equitable Access, and Interoperability. These
various organizations will be working in the coming weeks, months,
and years to inject these principles into the NII debate, and more
importantly, the legislation that will bring it about. For a copy,
contact the Library and Information Technology Assocation, ALA. - RT
St. Pierre, Margaret "Wide Area Information Servers (WAIS) Over
Z39.50-1988 and Beyond" ConneXions 8(2) (February 1994):15-19. -
St. Pierre (a consultant to WAIS, Inc. and a team member of the
Government Information Locator Service (GILS) project) provides
a brief history of the WAIS system, and an overview of the architecture
of the system, the design goals, the protocol itself, and future
directions. Pointers are provided at the end of the article for more
information on both the commercial and "freeWAIS" versions. - RT
Shade, Leslie Regan "Gender Issues in Computer Networking"
(September 8, 1993) [URL: ftp://ftp.alfred.carleton.ca/pub/freenet
/93conference/papers/leslie_regan_shade.txt] Regan addresses an
issue that in the introduction is noted to be "the flavor of
the month": gender and the Internet. The article is timely and
interesting, covering a broad range of issues from women (and the
lack thereof) in computer science at all levels to the electronic
equivalent of cross-dressing (men posing as women in order to take
advantage of the inordinate amount of attention women draw on the
various resources on the net). From discussions of male and
female communication styles to the way those styles play out in
the special medium of the net. The serious issues of sexual
harassment and pornography (and the problematic definitions of
both) and women's access to the network are placed in the broader
framework of equal access for all. Also included are a lengthy
bibliography and an appendix of electronic conferences and lists
for women's issues and participation. - NM
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, NII Task Force Working Group
on Intellectual Property In the matter of: Public Hearing on
Intellectual Property Issues Involved in the National Information
Infrastructure Initiative, November 18, 1993.
[URL:ftp://ftp.cni.org/pub/ipwg/18nov93.transcript]
[URL:gopher://gopher.cni.org 70/cniftp/pub/docs/nii/ipwg]
This document is a complete transcript of the latest public
hearing on issues of intellectual property rights as related
to the Internet. The public hearing, chaired by the Assistant
Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks
Bruce Lehman, was held in Washington, D.C. in November 1993. The
long (315K : approx. 250 screens) document covers several pages
just listing the names of those who made appearances and those who
make up the committee. Those making appearances come from many
different groups including government agencies, the legal and
commercial communities, education, publishing and writing,
standards bodies, and private citizens. - NM
Optical Disc Technologies
Beiser, Karl "CD-ROM--Middle-Aged Crazy After All These
Years" Database 16(6) (December 1993):91-95. Beiser offers
a thoughtful analysis of what makes CD-ROM successful now
and an overview of developments to watch that could affect
its acceptance in the future. Beiser predicts that the
technological mid-life crisis is about to end with the
transition to drives with CD-ROM XA support, Photo CD
multi-session capability, continuous read facility, 300
KB/sec or greater transfer rate and 200-300 ms average
access time. Beiser also predicts that the most likely
near-term successors to CD-ROM are new varieties of CD-ROM,
such as CD-recordable technology which is poised to usurp
magnetic media in some instances. - TR
Bowers, Richard A. "Welcome to the Second Computer
Revolution: A Beginner's Guide to CD-ROM" CD-ROM Professional
7(1) (January 1994):20-32. CD-ROM technology plays a pivotal
role in what Bowers refers to as the "second computer revolution."
We shall never look at the computer as merely a calculator
or typewriter again, thanks in large part to the emergence
of CD-ROM. Bowers offers an excellent overview of CD-ROM
technology with special emphasis placed upon multi-format
delivery, commonly known as multimedia. This article is
designed to help the consumer sort through apparently
conflicting claims, contradictory standards, and ambiguously
stated requirements for accessing the new multimedia CD-ROM
products. Sidebars accompanying the article include a fact-
filled listing of currently available CD-ROM drives, an
explanation of the difference between single-session and
multi-session CD-ROMs, the introduction of the "triple-speed"
drive, and an explanation of CD-ROM XA and Photo CD. - TR
Parker, Dana J. "Glossary of Basic CD-ROM Terms" CD-ROM
Professional 7(1) (January 1994):122-126. This very useful
five-page list of glossary terms is gleaned from _Technology
Edge: Guide to CD-ROM_ by Dana Parker and Robert Starrett. - TR
"Navy Makes CD-ROM Preferred Information Medium" SIGCAT Disc
Course 8(2) (January/February 1994):1. The U.S. Navy has
set a significant precedent by being the first military
service to officially establish CD technology (including
CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-I, CD-ROM XA, and other technologies as
they develop) as the "preferred media for storage and
dissemination of data and information." - TR
Nickerson, Gord "Mining for Gold: CD-ROM Information on
the Internet" CD-ROM Professional 7(1) (January 1994):128-132.
Nickerson explores the Internet in search of information on
CD-ROM. He locates CD-ROM catalogs, detailed information on
CD-ROM technology, email addresses of experts, vendors and
manufacturers, discussion lists, electronic journals, and
software distribution sites. (One of the gold nuggets
featured is the Optical Disc Technology section of Current
Cites!) A short bibliography of basic Internet resource
materials accompanies the article. - TR
Reese, Jean "Practical Tips for CD-ROM End-User Instruction:
Making the Most of Your Time" CD-ROM Professional 7(1)
(January 1994):59-60. Reese offers eight tips on how a busy
staff can make the most of the time spent instucting end-users.
Although there is no one perfect method for teaching people
how to use CD-ROM products, among the most important first
steps to any instructional program is to analyse the
organization's needs, staffing situation, and the user's
needs. - TR
SilverPlatter Technical Support Team "Troubleshooting Tips For
CD-ROM Drive Installation and Maintenance: PCs, LANs, and
Macintoshes" CD-ROM Professional 7(1) (January 1994):149-152.
This is an extremely useful and practical compilation of
toubleshooting tips organized in a symptom/cause/solution
format. Among the symptoms diagnosed: invalid drive
specifications, incorrect DOS version, Read Fail, No Host
Adapter Found, Disc in Drive Not High Sierra, and Disc Read
Errors From CD-ROM Discs. - TR
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Current Cites 5(2) (February 1994) ISSN: 1060-2356
Copyright (C) 1994 by the Library, University of
California, Berkeley. All rights reserved.
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