_Current_Cites_ Volume 2, no. 7 July 1991 Library Technology Watch Program University of California, Berkeley Edited by David F.W. Robison ISSN: 1060-2356 Contributors: Steve Cisler, Teri Rinne, Vivienne Roumani, Lisa Rowlison, Mark Takaro, Roy Tennant Expert Systems Heller, Martin "Windows Meets AI" BYTE 16(6) (June 1991):351-354. Microsoft's Windows 3.0 has opened up AI applications for the personal computing environment by providing a protected-mode operation which furnishes AI applications with the necessary amount of memory to run efficiently and by providing a graphical user interface (GUI) which is greatly needed by those of us who wish to use AI tools. This article discusses a few of the new AI tools using Windows 3.0 : KEE (Knowledge Engineering Environment) and KPWIN (KnowledgePro for Windows) are well described, the first being a large and expensive tool and the second, a less powerful but more affordable tool. Hyper- and Multimedia Heller, Marvin. "Future Documents" BYTE 16(5) (May 1991):126-135. Software vendors for the PC continue to make inroads on the lead held by Apple in the emerging hypermedia market. This review of Microsoft's OLE and HP's New Wave software describes how they integrate text with graphics using a variety of initial software packages. Gradually the barriers between individual software products are being dissolved as linking programs like these provide environments in which Windows can operate on a variety of programs and produce documents combining spreadsheets, with text and graphics. Communication between software environments that the programs provide enables rapid updating of changing data and the packages are now appearing with new, object-oriented capabilities. While still somewhat clunky in their operation, these packages are another indicator of the changes soon to come. Yi, Paul "Putting Your Mac on TV: Desktop Video" MacUser 7(8) (August 1991):94-108. The MacUser Labs describe and test six desktop video-out products ranging from relatively simple to very spiffy special effects-capable products. Essentially these DTV (Desktop video) hardware products translate Mac output into NTSC video images which, to varying degrees, can be manipulated and edited by the Mac. Overlays of graphics, still images and text on to the video output will awaken the suppressed film producer in many of us and open new channels for development. While your final product may fall short of the quality seen on most home televisions, the potential for in-house training and presentations make this type of video a component of the future multimedia world. Information Transfer Basch, Reva "Books Online: Visions, Plans, and Perspectives for Electronic Text" Online 15(4) (July 1991):13-23. Basch's article is about electronic text using Michael Hart's (Director of the Project Gutenberg) definition. Basch describes several issues associated with e-text including input technology, standardization, copyright, and future use. Jackson, Mary "Library to Library" Wilson Library Bulletin (June 1991):97-100. More than an article this is an annotated reading list to keep current with issues in Interlibrary Loan and information transfer. Networks and Networking Fisher, Sharon "Whither NREN?" BYTE 16(7) (July 1991):181-189. Fisher investigates the ongoing discussion of who should provide the NREN. Should the government start it up? or should the burgeoning commercial networks just grow into it? Both sides agree that it should ultimately be a commercial venture. Green, Roedy "Remote Connections" BYTE 16(7) (July 1991):161-168. Roedy covers that various types of wide-area networks and their resulting speeds of data transmission (the all-important parameter of computing). Also included are inset articles on relay framing and ISDN by Bob Ryan and Janet J. Barron, respectively. Kahle, Brewster and Art Medlar "An Information System for Corporate Users: Wide Area Information Servers" (June 24, 1991). Posted as WAIS-discussion digest #13: Paper on WAIS Project on WAIS-DISCUSSION@think.com. "The Wide Area Information Server (WAIS, pronounced "ways") project is an experimental venture seeking to determine whether current technologies can be used to make profitable end-user full-text information systems....This paper discusses the design and implementation of the prototype system." The National Public Telecomputing Network "Infosphere Report" (June 21, 1991). Available on CNIDIR-L@UNMVM.BITNET, PACS- L@UHUPVM1.BITNET, and other Listservs. "This summer and fall the National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN), a nonprofit public computer network headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, will be working on its first annual 'Infosphere Report'Qa research report... which will attempt to asses the nation's capacity to effectively and equitably utilize telecomputing as a medium for its information and communications needs." Sproule, William and Jon Edwards "AppleTalk Over the Internet" BYTE 16(7) (July 1991):293-298. Using AppleShare and third party products, Princeton and Penn State Universities were able to establish an easy-to-use Wide-area AppleTalk network. Sproule describes how this was accomplished and the future of such linkings. Stanton, Deidre "Libraries and Information Resources Networks: a Bibliography" (June 14, 1991). Available by e-mail to stanton@csuvax1.csu.murdoch.edu.au message "SEND NETWORKS.BIB". This is an extensive bibliography of network and networked information. Included is a list of relevant electronic serials. General Bosseau, Don L. and Susan K. Martin "Librarianship, the Profession -- Prelude to its Future" (June 21, 1991). Posted on PACS- L@UHUPVM1.BITNET. Bosseau and Martin look at some of the issues facing librarians as roles change but perceptions don't. Much of the changes that are not understood by the general public involve the interaction of library staff and technology. Cisler, Steve "Future of Librarianship, Comments (long)" (June 25, 1991). Posted on PACS-L@UHUPVM1.BITNET. Apple librarian Steve Cisler comments on the paper written by Bosseau and Martin. As one might expect, Cisler concentrates on the ramifications of new technologies on librarianship, and conversely how librarians can affect new technologies. Citizens Rights and Access to Electronic Information; A Collection of Background Essays Prepared for the 1991 LITA President's Program / edited by Reynolds, Dennis. Chicago: Library and Information Technology Association, 1991. This collection of brief essays solicited by LITA to distribute at the American Library Association 1991 meeting in Atlanta investigates such issues as information access, individual privacy, and intellectual freedom in regards to electronic information. LITA plans to publish these papers plus the presentations at the program itself in Fall 1991 under the same title (sans subtitle). Sadleir, C.D. "Evolutions in Information Technology" Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science 17(4) (April/May 1991):20-21. Sadleir, Vice President of computing and communications at the University of Toronto, describes the outcome of the information technology revolution as he sees it. Stanley, Carol A. J. "What Technology Hath Wrought the Consumer Will Demand be Changed" Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science (April/May 1991):23-25. Stanley suggests that for the 90s the consumer will drive technological developments rather than "technology [driving] product development." Forthcoming McClure, Charles R., et.al. The National Research and Education Network (NREN): Research and Policy Perspectives. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing, 1991. And everyone should be on the lookout for the September 1991 issue of Scientific American. It's devoted to networks and has articles by Alan Kay, [Nicholas] Negroponte [of the MIT Media Lab], [Mitch] Kapor [creator of LOTUS 1-2-3; founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation], [Vinton] Cerf [of the Corporation for National Research Initiatives], and others. Should be an important work for future reference. -- Steve Cisler ------------------------------------------------------------------- Current Cites 2(7)(July 1991) ISSN: 1060-2356 Copyright (C) 1992 by the Library, University of California, Berkeley. All rights reserved. Copying is permitted for noncommercial use by computerized bulletin board/conference systems, individual scholars, and libraries. Libraries are authorized to add the journal to their collections at no cost. This message must appear on copied material. All commercial use requires permission from the editor, who may be reached in the following ways: drobison@library.berkeley.edu // drobison@ucblibra // (510)642-7600 -------------------------------------------------------------------