In article <616CAABC718BD411A9B600508B976460020B71@PUCMMDOCS>, on Wed,
11 Oct 2000 at 17:46:29, Ricardo Lopez <URL:
mailto:[log in to unmask]> writes
>
>There's a first question I have:
>SHOULD WE DEVELOP OUR OWN SYSTEM OR BUY A COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE OR MAYBE A
>COMBINATION OF BOTH?
>
There was a useful discussion on this topic a year ago, which you can
read in the museum-l archives at
<http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/museum-l.html>

Check October 1999 week 1 and week 2, under the headings "Collections
management applications" and "Database vs. collections management
system".

For what it's worth, in most cases I agree with Diane Gutenkauf that it
is a false economy to think that it is worth while building your own
system, at least if it is to be well structured and have a full range of
functions.

Whatever system you acquire or build will not last for ever, so make
certain that you can export and import data in a non-proprietary format
and that the data is entered in accordance with standards so that it
does not need too much manipulation when you move from one system to
another.

You can buy commercial systems with a high degree of customisability, or
ones which you can just take and use without bothering about what lies
"under the bonnet". It all depends on your statement of requirements and
how you expect your system to develop.

Leonard Will
--
Willpower Information       (Partners: Dr Leonard D Will, Sheena E Will)
Information Management Consultants              Tel: +44 (0)20 8372 0092
27 Calshot Way, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 7BQ, UK. Fax: +44 (0)20 8372 0094
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