Robert A. Baron writes: >But what happens as the automated system begins to replace the written >record, which it will as the generation of curators who are shy of >computerization are replaced by those who have used it their entire lives. >The kind of information contained in old accession files, in loan files, >etc. is complex and the relationships between objects, perhaps easy to note >on paper, require complexly fashioned database architectures. > >I foresee a tragedy in the making when the simple databases become the >foundation for more complex structures as they become needed. It is the >same tragedy that librarians have suffered as card catalogues, often with >handwritten annotations, are tossed out and replaced by databases that >cannot accommodate the rich details and patina encoded by history. I could not agree more. Curators and museum managers should think long and hard about this. ------ Stuart Holm, Heritage Documentation Projects Tel: +44 1603 870772 2 New Road, Reepham, Norwich NR10 4LP, UK E-mail: [log in to unmask] ------------- World Wide Web - http://www.holm.demon.co.uk -------------