_Current_Cites_ Volume 3, no. 9 September 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Electronic Publishing Kelley, Wayne P. "GPO's Vision for Access to Government Information in the Electronic Age" Electronic Networking 2(2) (Summer 1992):50-55. Kelley, the Superintendent of Documents of the GPO, makes the case for the GPO to act as a central publisher of electronic information from all government departments and distribute those publications through the Federal Depository Library Program. He says that the current state of disarray "makes obtaining government publications increasingly more difficult for even the well informed." - DR Hyper- and Multimedia Computer Communication Review 22(3) (July 1992) includes abstracts from the papers presented at the IEEE Multimedia '92 workshop held in Monterey, California in early April. A brief sampler: o Hoshi, Tohru, Yasuhiro Takahashi and Kenjiro Mori "An Integrated Multimedia Desktop Communication and Collaboration Platform for Broadband ISDN: The Broadband ISDN Group Tele- Working System" pp.14-15. The high-speed capabilities of broadband ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) are combined with the concept of computer supported cooperative work to make powerful tools for distributed multimedia applications. Projects of this kind demonstrate the potential for visual telephony and collaborative work on images to extend multimedia across networks. o Polyzos, George C. "Networking for Sequoia 2000" pp.41-42. An ambitious project in the study of global change sponsored by DEC and several campuses of the University of California, Sequoia 2000 addresses some of the "Grand Challenges" of computing in its development of distributed multimedia applications. An enormous database of earth science information will be made available to researchers via the network for collaborative multimedia work. Many of the other abstracts focus on specific issues of networked multimedia such as: synchronization and control techniques; traffic patterns and bandwidth allocation; experimental systems; and distributed multimedia collaboration. - MT Pournelle, Jerry "Multimedia Medley" BYTE 17(8) (August 1992): 95-110. A myriad of multimedia products receive mention in this user's column which offers tips on installation and startup of various devices. The Miracle Piano Teaching System, Corel Blockbuster CD-ROM, Tandy's 4033 LX machine, and a simulation program for the Mac, VisSim are among the products installed, tested and briefly reviewed by the author. - MT Rangan, P. Venkat, et al. "Designing an On-Demand Multimedia Service" IEEE Communications Magazine 30(7) (July 1992):56-64. Employing the analogy of a video rental outlet, the authors suggest that delivery of multimedia services to end-users may be only a few years away. Issues of synchronization and continuous transmission for such services are the focus of this technical article, which also proposes an architecture for on-demand multimedia. - MT Information Transfer Haycox, Jamie L. "Guide to Imaging Hardware and Software" ASIS Bulletin 18(5) (June 1992):13-14. In this article Haycox provides a guide and checklist to aid in the selection of imaging hardware and software. Aspects to take into consideration include the type or types of images to be processed (eg., fax, document, video) and volume. - VR Lundeen, Gerald W. and Carol Tenopir "Text Retrieval Software for Microcomputers and Beyond: An Overview and a Review of Four Packages" Database 15(4) (August 1992):51-63. Text retrieval software is the logical companion to machine readable text. In this article four packages, Concordance, Concept Finder, Personal Librarian, and Topic, are evaluated on maintenance, search and retrieval capabilities, output, and documentation. - VR Mallen, Ed "Intelligent Character Recognition: It's Not Just Recognition Anymore" ASIS Bulletin 18(5) (June 1992):9-11. Though Optical Character Recognition (OCR) has been around since 1912, Mallen makes the point that OCR on its own is not a viable technology. It is the Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) system that will increase the utility of a scanned document by allowing for more effective conversion and retrieval of documents. - VR Sun, Wei, et al. "Intelligent OCR Processing" JASIS 43(6) (July 1992):422-431. The authors discuss the problems of unrecognized characters in text scanned with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, and propose a postprocessing strategy to correct textual errors with minimum human intervention. - VR Van Overbeek, Thomas T. "Creating a Good Image: Selecting Displays for Document Image Processing" ASIS Bulletin 18(5) (June 1992):11-12. Van Overbeek describes the issues in document image processing and the importance of effective displays of scanned images. He is partial to paper-like displays which "allow users to read documents faster and with less fatigue...." - VR Networks and Networking Blau, Andrew "Getting a Handle on the Future of the NSFNet" EFFector Online 3(2) (August 19, 1992). Available via anonymous ftp from ftp.eff.org. Blau reports on the July 23 meeting of the Communications Policy Forum of the EFF which included members of the National Science Foundation. Up for discussion was the NSF proposal to establish a two- tiered network: a very high speed backbone (vBNS) connecting to a system of network access points (NAPs). Traffic on the vBNS would be restricted to research and education while traffic on the NAPs would be unrestricted in content. - DR Casner, Stephen and Stephen Deering "First IETF Internet Audiocast" Computer Communication Review 22(3) (July 1992):92-97. This articles covers the successes and pitfalls of sending a live audiocast over the Internet. Using packet audio technology (where the audio data is sent in small packets and reassembled by the recipient) the Internet Engineering Task Force was able to provide two-way communications with four sites spanning the continent. - DR Electronic Frontier Foundation "Analysis of the FBI Proposal Regarding Digital Telephony" [September 1992]. Available via anonymous ftp from ftp.eff.org in directory pub/EFF/legal-issues as file eff-fbi-analysis. This white paper explains why this broad-based coalition headed by the EFF opposes the FBIs proposed legislation that "actually requires that all communications and computer systems be designed to facilitate interception of private messages...." - DR Ford, Warwick and Brian O'Higgins "Public-Key Encryption and Open Systems Interconnection" IEEE Communications Magazine 30(7) (July 1992):30-35. Warwick and O'Higgins contend that the implementation of public-key encryption at the network level, along with symmetric cryptography, would provide the best scheme for "authentication, integrity, confidentiality, and non-repudiation services in large open systems networks." The authors have included an introduction to data encryption that is detailed, yet understandable. - DR Kovacs, Diane "Survey of E-Conference Users: Summary Results" posted on PACS-L@UHUPVM1 (August 25, 1992). Kovacs and her colleagues conducted a survey of (primarily library) electronic conference users and how such use has affected their work. Not surprisingly, PACS-L is the most popular. Fuller results will be appearing in the next few months. - DR Lynch, Clifford. Z39.50 in Plain English: A Non-Technical Guide to the New NISO Standard for Library Automation Networking. 3rd edition. Distributed by Data Research and Digital, [1992]. Lynch, one of the key figures in the development and implementation of the Z39.50 protocol has written this FAQ (frequently asked questions) pamphlet. Without going into technical details, Lynch explains what Z39.50 is, why it is important, and what progress is being made in its implementation. - DR Prentiss, Riddle "GopherCon '92: Trip Report" August 17, 1992. Posted on PACS-L@UHUPVM1 in two parts on 9/8/92 by Ed Vielmetti. "GopherCon '92 was a small working session of Gopher developers and users. Focuses included proposed extensions to the Gopher protocol; how to organize the Internet resources available through Gopher in a more usable fashion; Gopher server administration, including security and privacy issues; and the future of Gopher development." Although the Con was attended by only 50 people the effects of the proceedings will be felt by thousands of users (if not more). - DR Scott, Peter "Using HYTELNET to Access Internet Resources" Public-Access Computer Systems Review 3(4) (1992):15-21. Available via e-mail by sending the message "GET SCOTT PRV3N4 F=MAIL" to LISTSERV@UHUPVM1 or LISTSERV@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU. Written by the developer of the software, this article describes how to use the HYTELNET program to locate and connect to Internet hosts (automatic connections are currently only available with the UNIX/VMS implementation). Scott includes instructions on how to obtain copies of the IBM-compatible TSR program via anonymous ftp as well as e-mail addresses for information on other platform versions. - DR Stanton, Deirdre E. and Todd Hooper "The LIBS Internet Access Software: An Overview and Evaluation" Public Access Computer Systems Review 3(4) (1992):4-14. Available via e- mail by sending the message "GET STANTON PRV3N4 F=MAIL" to LISTSERV@UHUPVM1 or LISTSERV@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU. This review of the LIBS software provides an excellent overview of the software which allows automated connections to Internet sites of all types from UNIX or VMS machines. The article also includes the technical information for those who wish to mount their own LIBS servers. There is also a comparison with HYTELNET (see above) software which is a more extensive database of resources, but does not provide the subject access the LIBS does. - DR Watkins, Beverly T. "Many Campuses Start Building Tomorrow's Electronic Library" Chronicle of Higher Education 39(2) (September 2, 1992):A19-A21. Watkins uses the example of the Library Information System (Mercury project) at Carnegie Mellon University. The Library is adding numerous networked resources, as well as allowing other departments of the University add to the system, creating a distributed resource. The local system will also have Internet access and be accessible thereby making their library "just one component of a worldwide electronic library...." Just over a week after this article appeared, William Arms, Vice President for Computing Service at CMU, posted a clarification of his position vis-a-vis the role of libraries and librarians in the distributed electronic library world on PACS-L@UHUPVM1 (9/11/92). - DR Williams, David O. and Brian E. Carpenter "Data Networking for the European Academic and Research Community: Is It Important?" Electronic Networking 2(2) (Summer 1992):56-65. Williams and Carpenter, head of Computing and Networks and head of the Communications Systems group at CERN, respectively, decry the lack of organization and progress in internetworking in Europe. According to the authors, the major impediment is that planning and operation of network services are on a country-by- country basis with no overall strategy. In addition to describing the situation today, Williams and Carpenter also provide a plan to improve the such services utilizing a number of approaches and a helpful list of European network acronyms and their meaning (e.g., EARN, EUNET, NORDUnet, RARE, and COSINE). - DR Optical Disc Technologies Bucknall, Tim and Rikki Mangrum "U-Search: A User Study of the CD-ROM Service at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill" RQ 31(4) (Summer 1992):542-553. Bucknall and Mangrum present the results of a month-long electronic survey of users of a fifteen CD-ROM database local-area network. 1,135 responses were tabulated in response to a variety of questions pertaining to public service issues, user attitudes toward CD- ROM searching, and the place of CD-ROM within the overall research strategy. While past user surveys have tended to focus on a single database or particular vendor conducted over a short period of time often in a specific department or special library, this survey is unique because it is a "broad-based general survey of all users of a well-established service and a variety of databases over a month-long period." - TR LaGuardia, Cheryl "CD-ROM Review" Library Journal 117(12) (July 1992):136-138. In response to requests from librarians, Library Journal debuts a new monthly review section dedicated to CD-ROM products. "The more discerning we are in spending library CD-ROM budgets," writes LaGuardia, "the greater the positive influence we will exert on the industry. Getting producers and vendors to listen to us should improve products and services, and we will all benefit." - TR Tenopir, Carol "Full-Text on CD-ROM" Library Journal 117(12) (July 1992):50-51. In her monthly column "Online Databases," Tenopir examines the competition from full-text CD-ROM databases which are proliferating. Nearly 40% of all CD-ROM databases produced today are full-text (books, government documents, laws and legislation, journals and newspapers). Tenopir asserts that CD- ROM is a natural medium to supplement or replace paper collections or full texts online, discusses the distinctions between ASCII and image files, and outlines five models of full- text CD-ROM creation/production/distribution. - TR General Baran, Nicholas "The Outlook for Pen Computing" BYTE 17(9) (September 1992):159-164. The young field of pen-based computing faces an uphill struggle against obstacles both technical and market-driven. Handwriting recognition, the size and portability of systems and other shortcomings, coupled with the lack of a market track record conspire to limit the role of pen computing at present. Doubtless the variety of applications that will employ future pen-based systems will continue to encourage research and development in this area. - MT Jennings, Lois "Regrowing Staff: Managerial Priority for the Future of University Libraries" Public-Access Computer Systems Review 3(3) (1992):4-15. Available via e-mail by sending the message "GET JENNINGS PRV3N3 F=MAIL" to LISTSERV@UHUPVM1 or LISTSERV@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU. Causing quite a sensation on the Net (see PACS-L postings 9/2-9/8/92 - and the article only appeared August 31!), the Librarian of the University of Canberra, Lois Jennings, contends that as library users become able to access information directly the library becomes a threatened organization. She goes on to say that "the organization threatened by the change must overcome its natural tendency to resist change and must retaliate with the next round of innovation." Her solution is to "regrow" staff from the inside by reorienting the organization as a whole. The library must become a risk-taking institution and become actively involved in the scholar's workstation environment. - DR Reinhardt, Andy, Ed Perratore, Andy Redfern and Rich Malloy "The Greening of Computers" BYTE 17(9) (September 1992): 147-158. Environmental consciousness in the computing industry goes beyond just the packaging. Manufacturing techniques that remove the need for cleaning parts with CFCs, recycling and re-use of printer cartridges, and the improvement of battery technologies are proving to be both economically and environmentally sound. International and more local environmental laws governing both the volume and the toxicity of wastes will continue to make this a new area for development in the computer industry. - MT Thinking Robots, an Aware Internet, and Cyberpunk Librarians /R. Bruce Miller and Milton T. Wolf, editors. The citations below are a further sampling of the articles in this thought provoking collection. The Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) has published these articles along with the text of the provocative speeches by Hans Moravec, Bruce Sterling, and David Brin given at the 1992 President's program at ALA (contact LITA for copies). The updated text is also available via anonymous ftp from ftp.apple.com in directory ftp/alug/lita. Page numbers cited here are from the original publication. o Bailey, Charles W., Jr. "Truly Intelligent Computers" pp.38-41. Bailey looks toward the future and discusses the implications of artificial intelligence, focusing on the effects, rather than whether it is a possibility. - DR o Fladland, Kathy "Earth and the Internet" pp.46-50. Fladland compares David Brin's network savvy science fiction title _Earth_ with the real Internet with some surprising results. - DR Tufte, Edward "The User Interface: The Point of Competition" ASIS Bulletin 18(5) (June 1992):15-17. Tufte, believing that "today the competition is at the user interface," emphasizes the importance of computer screen design as it relates to color, typography, layout, graphics, etc. - VR ------------------------------------------------------------------- Current Cites 3(9) (September 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. 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