Message-Id: <199601311749.LAA13841@library.wustl.edu> Date: Wed, 31 Jan 1996 09:44:07 PST From: Michael Carroll <mailto:BR.MJC@RLG.STANFORD.EDU> Subject: Search History To: Multiple recipients of list WEBCAT-L <mailto:WEBCAT-L@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU>
REPLY TO 01/31/96 08:34 FROM mailto:WEBCAT-L@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU "WEBCAT-L LIST": Search HistoryJohn D. Boggs wrote: > One disadvantage I can see of using a web search engine is that there
> is, to the best of my knowledge, no way to have a search history
> capability. With a dedicated Z39.50 client it is easy to keep old
> search commands (even from session to session) and even sets from
> previous searches.
This is an instance of the more general problem, that the HTTP protocol is stateless, while Z39.50 is "stateful". Some implementations attempt to solve this problem by passing a session id to the Web client, which is then passed back to the Web server. This is not without its problems; for example, the session id must expire at some point in time, perhaps earlier than the user wants.
Java makes other solutions possible. If you have a Netscape 2.0 or another Java-enabled browser, and like to "think outside the box", have a look at the Wall Street Web Java applet at http://www.bulletproof.com/ This searches a database (of financial rather than bibliographic data) and diplays the results.
This solution could have a search history capability, since it would not need to use HTTP as its protocol. Its user interface is very different from most WebCat interfaces; it does not use HTML forms, for example. I'd be interested to hear what people think of it.
-- Michael Carroll Internet: mailto:br.mjc@rlg.stanford.edu Sr. Programmer/Analyst http://www-rlg.stanford.edu/ Research Libraries Group Voice: 415-691-2223 1200 Villa Street Fax: 415-964-0943 Mountain View, CA 94041-1100To: mailto:WEBCAT-L@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU