Pat Galloway states:
>>>Forgive me if someone has asked this before, but WHY doesn't some
vendor build a collections management system using one of the major
relational databases?



My fine observation!  Actually, the current client-server computer
trend is to have applications which plug-in legacy information sets
which are based on Sybase/Oracle/Informix relational databases. In
fact, there are applications which are, or will shortly be available,
which will plug-in the relational database information to web sites,
creating the ability for query panels on a web page to drive the
search on a major relational database, and then create custom
information web pages on the fly, ones that look good and are
meaningful.

What seems so logical now has not always been so obvious, but plain
old accurate data in a relational database has much more value than
some goofy structure that keeps one from getting at it. Good
technical tools are nearly at hand and I think the evolving
information age will be good to us.

Again, great question/observation. I hope that the lightbulb goes on
equally as bright for everyone who wrestles with collection
management issues.

Robert MacKimmie
California Historical Society, San Francisco
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