Message-Id: <199601311652.KAA09217@library.wustl.edu> Date: Wed, 31 Jan 1996 10:47:56 CST From: Jerry Caswell <mailto:jvc@IASTATE.EDU> Subject: Terminology To: Multiple recipients of list WEBCAT-L <mailto:WEBCAT-L@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU>
Terminology is a real problem in an area that is as new and as rapidly developing as this is. Technically speaking, "WebZ," "WebCat," and "WebPAC" are the names of proprietary systems and shouldn't be used generically. But, as with other facets of our economy, a vendor's name sometimes becomes associated with a entire class of products.One problem with terminology that includes "cat" and "PAC" is that it implies that this technology is used only to access online catalogs. In fact, Web gateways are used currently to access a variety of bibliographic and full text databases mounted on Z39.50 and other types of servers.
I hope that this list will include discussion of some of the noncommercial implementations of Web gateways. This institution did not find the desired level of functionality or configurability in any vendor's products during its first analysis of the marketplace and consequently implemented a modified version of the Stanford DB Connect software developed by Howard Finkbeiner (http://www.lib.iastate.edu/scholar/z3950.html). Others, such as Michigan State, have implemented variations of the CNIDR software. These are healthy developments that will help push the vendors and other developers forward.
**************************************************************************** * Jerry V. Caswell * Email: mailto:JVC@IASTATE.EDU * * Assistant Director * * * for Automated Systems * * * Iowa State University Library * Phone: (515) 294-5704 * * Ames, IA 50011-2140 * FAX: (515) 294-5525 * ****************************************************************************