the MIA's done four or five CD-ROMs from programs that were developed for gallery interactive stations (we haven't done CD-ROMs in leiu of catalogs yet, however); here's the downside:
 
you'll find no outside distribution for the product. 

you're dealing with a PC-mostly audience, but you'll find museums attract an inordinate number of macintosh users. you're best to make it cross-platform, which brings up a whole seperate set of difficulities.

a CD-ROM is impossible to flip through in the bookstore. will you be able to display it while the exhibition's running?

you'll need sell your print run off before new operating systems render your product obsolete.

be sure you develop the program with the latest versions of quicktime and whatever else you're using. (ask me how i know that.)

upsides:

apart from the cost of developing it, the unit cost to get them produced is a fraction the expense of doing a book. 

they're very small.

hope this helps,
mark


               Mark Jung
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
          2400 Third Ave. S.
       Minneapolis, MN 55404
            612 870 3019
          612 870 3249 fx

>>> [log in to unmask] - 11/12/01 11:30 AM >>>
We are currently considering producing a CD-rom catalogue for an upcoming
exhibition, instead of producing a paperback catalogue.  This would be the
first venture of this type for my institution and I am looking for both
positive and negative feedback/experiences, possible pitfalls from my
colleagues who have created catalogues in this media.

Thank you, in advance, for your comments.

Sincerely,
Jennifer L. Lisella
Registrar
The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens

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