Responding to msg by [log in to unmask] (Mark Friedman) on Wed, 26
Oct  7:7  PM
 
>I was given some valuable advice on the net yesterday -
>only take advice on
>from people who are already on #2 or more CMS's.
>Everyone loves their first
>one no matter what the drawbacks are.
 
At first this sounds as if it were valuable advice, but I'm not
so sure that the advice stands up under scrutiny.  Well, yes it
does, in an important way.  It is not impossible that those who
have chosen a second collection management system did make an
error with their first.
 
But just because some people are quite satisfied with their
first choice, it doesn't mean that they will eventually realize
that they made a mistake when chosing it.  Of course certain
factors can come together, indeed, must come together that will
necessarily indicate that a change is due:  Time and evolving
technology, of course: You update your desktop software, yes?
for the same reason.  Another important factor that warrant's
change to another system is a change of personnel.  I know from
my own work that one of the most difficult decisions when
recommending systems concerns what I call the "system
personality."  Staff members at different institutions will
feel more comfortable with one system rather than another, so
even if all the formal requirements seem to point to selecting
one system over another, there may be mitigating circumstances
that indicate otherwise.  The community of users and the vendor
personality are all factors, too.  As these change so will the
needs of the institution.
 
One other important factor:  A museum's first information
system might be rather simple, or not used to its fullest
advantage.  With use, an evolving set of new  criteria will be
developed that will point the way to a new acquisition.
 
All this put together may lead to the conclusion that even when
you receive advice that has been honed through experience, it
does not mean that that advice is correct for you.  One museum
may have to go through the same kind of trial and error routine
that another one did in order for it to know what is best for
it.
 
Two contradictory aphorisms apply:
   1.  Experience is the best teacher.
   2.  Learn from the mistakes of others.
 
Robt
_____________________________________
Robert A. Baron, Museum Computer Consultant
P.O. Box 93, Larchmont, NY 10538
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