[Koha] (no subject)

[Simon Blake]

On Tue, Nov 21, 2000 at 11:27:27AM +1300, Stuart A Yeates said:
> 
> > Building new client software for interfaces to library systems is 
> > over. The user community will strongly resist another piece of 
> > software to view information. They want to view everything through
> > the one interface, the browser. Attempts to modify this interface, 
> > such as the Java based Dynix client, while it may prove attractive 
> > features[BIBLIO] will be resisted by the casual user.

This, of course, is nothing particular new.  I recall having long and
protracted arguements with the librarians at NLNZ about why NDIS should be a
web application, and not a standalone client, and that was in 1995!

Unfortunately, it wasn't until they took their shiny new Win32 application
out to the real world users who (pretty much) all said "why can't we have it
on the web?" that they realised the magnitude of their mistake, and the wheels
fell off some more...  (all IMHO, of course)

(for those unware, NDIS was an attempt at a library system jointly developed
by the Australian and NZ National Libraries in 1994-96.  After some insane
amount of money (NZ$12-15million at the Kiwi end, and possibly double that
in Oz), it was abandoned).

> *) i disagree that the casual user market is the only target group worth 
> chasing, there are thousands of professional librarians and library workers 
> out there.

But that's hardly for you to dictate - every library defines its target
group(s), and should be judged in how well their interface meets that
groups' needs.  For most libraries, the P in OPAC is paramount.

> *) you have a bad value in your table of figures.

> Nowhere that i noticed did you give feedback to the actual site 
> maintainers to help them improve their sites...

Practice what you preach, Stuart.  Nowhere that I see do you give feedback
to the actual author of the paper - Kaye was just passing on what she
thought was an interesting read - she doesn't appear to have any
relationship with the author that I can see.

Cheers
Si

-- 
Simon Blake                                             simon at katipo.co.nz 
Katipo Communications                                       +64 25 300 825