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 [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask]