Nanook of the Newletter 

     Grolier Americana Software

I would hate to think we would imitate SCIL (really should be renamed Product Announcements for Libraries)  but some of my readers who have played with the Grolier NBK (read Knowledge explorer Series) software should be looking out for the soon to be released Americana Software Library.  The Betas  should be here after the first of the year, but on paper they will produce a “topic finder”  to locate articles in Americana (similar  to NBK Wonderquest – which is the weakest title in the series); Note Card Maker purports to teach kids how to make note and bibliography cards; EduCalc – finally something supposed to teach the how and why of spreadsheets; and two interactive fiction games.  Knowledge Explorer has been well received – in fact I have to go to our computer lab and bring the encyclopedias back to the library.  I know KD won’t like this but it works well with any set – but these titles are the hottest things in my library.  We’ll  just have to put the Americana stuff under the glass when it becomes available – but remember  you read it first in WLN (not the bibliographic utility).

     Booklist reviews to be monthly…

Reneski, the sainted non-print editor of the bible of lisci (known in the real world as Booklist) informed me that in March software reviews would be published on a monthly basis.  Currently they appear every other month.  I take this as an indication that the powers to be are paying just a little more attention to the micro (like double?).

     From User’s newsletters…

BC forwarded No. 4 from Vol 2 of the Computer Cat User’s Newsletter which details how CC site scheduled AV equipment, fooling the system into thinking 16mm’s were book titles.

BF over I the Crystaline world forwarded another edition of the newsletter for Trakies (read Book Trak) which puts them into volume two.  I don’t know AL chose the term but nonetheless it’s full of useful hints, both from Follett and users, and a charter attendees list of the two user meetings.  BF, for the record BC and I were both at the Dallas and Atlanta gatherings.  The point of this should be clear:  it shows a class all the way around when a company goes to the trouble of keeping their users up to date not only on enhancements but applications from other points on the globe.

     Skills Maker

Unlike other library instruction stuff currently available, Skills Maker from the Library Software  Co. never has the kids touch the keyboard.  Skills Maker uses the editing/storage/similar capabilities of the micro to allow you to make worksheets from your collection (another nice touch).  The reader’s guide section is from the unabridged, but if you use the abridged version you can just switch disks with LSC.  It takes some time to set up, but one it is done it produces clean and crisp worksheets.  A library instruction productivity tool with no equal.  In fact it doesn’t have any competition.

     Card program updates

Since you have all run out to your newsstands and picked up the Jan/Feb issue of Book Report in which my column picks Apple catalog card production systems apart – it’s time to begin updating.  Producer addresses were in the December buying guide.

Cards from Harvey Hahn and the folks at Addison Public Library .   Basically the call number fields have been upped from 3 to 12; an accession number field has been added; and the prices are supported in the ISBN field.  Harvey’s also added print drivers (Brent, eat your heart out) souped up some of the printing options as well as boldface the main entry (and a half dozen other user specific items.)  I liked it before and I like it better now.  CardPrep from Learning Technology and Libraries not only dropped the price (Nov WLN (not the bibliographic utility)) to $99 and added a card display but also dropped the subject card alphabetizer and now generates full author and title in the Quicklist function.

      MicroSearch

One of the real gems I found in Atlanta was ERIC’s Microsearch, a floppy based version of the online service.  The program uses a plain vanilla (but supports upper/lower if you have it) Apple II Plus and is designed to serve as an introduction to online searching, or in my cornfield hideaway an actual substitute.

Many of us can’t afford the subscription and connect fees,  let alone the rape of Ma Bell to teach kids in small schools the joys of online searching.  This is a very suitable  substitute (realizing that the data base is limited) and because they update the disks – and the program  provides for multiple disk searches – you can actually do a lot for a little.  All ERIC does is strip data off their big data base to create the disks – very efficient if you can live with ERIC only data.

The demonstration set containing the search software, manual and one of the five data bases is only $18.  Complete data bases are available for six dollars/disk and you can go back to ’82 with a few of them.  The data bases available are :  Computer Literacy; Micro hardware/software; Basic skills; Educational technology; and Library/Information science.  Get all of the info from ERIC Clearinghouse on Information Resources, 030 Huntington Hall, Syra cuse Univ., Syracuse NY 13210.

     Sensible sensitivity

RT over at Sensible has been a new addition to the WLN (not the bibliographic utility) reader list.  I guess he got tired of reading all the spelling mistakes and sent a copy of Sensible Speller over.  (Actually I asked for a review copy)

The “other” spelling checkers I’ve used were slow, required two drives and were too much trouble to play with.  Anyway a “user interactive” newsletter is nice way to kill a half hour.

Sensible Speller is quicker than all of those “others” that I’ve tried, it runs fine on one drive, and there is a ProDOS based version.  After boting it’s simple to customize the program (and Appleworks is one of the options).  Using the program is simple, quick, and the only pain is adding words to a ‘user defined’ dictionary (you have to have a formatted disk).  We used it to do this month’s issue, and you can see the quality is up considerably.  Not only that it read all of this good sized (28k+) file and corrected all of the errors in less than ten minutes.  You can install it on hard disk, it  reads ProDOS, and runs like a bunny.  Definitely carries the Wired Librarian’s Seal of Approval.

In The Real World (A new feature)

BS (read more of our exploits later) suggested that since I read so much the “other” literature that it would be nice if I placed some of the stuff I thought important from the micro world in short form for the library world.  As always scope out the full blown article – don’t rely on my stilted comments….

     “16 Bit Apple II?”

Infoworld (5 Nov 84) reports on a new member of the 6502 clan numbered 65816.  It should run all existing Apple II software yet give the new family 16 meg of addressable RAM.  Compare that to the 3 meg max f the blue AT and my old II Plus keeps lookin’ better every day.

     “NEA Seal (Steal?) of approval”

The Computing Teacher ran an editorial in their October ’84 issue decrying the NEA “seal” program.  In November the NEA replied weakly.  Dec/Jan had a letter and in February  you can look in those some pages for my response.   In a sentence:  Go ahead and see if it has the seal then buy it from somebody else other than the NEA distributor.  If a group as large as they are has to rape the software producers in order to run the show then something is rotten in Denmark.

    “Elements of Software Success”

Off and on over the last month John (right inside the back cover) Dvorak has been running a series of articles of the same title in his Inside Track column in Infoworld.  In the Dec. 31 issues he raised what I call the ‘me too’ theory:  “Newcomers will mostly mimic the old times by buying what they bought.”  The series is a must read, especially for novice wired librarians.

California Dreamin’

Your humble editor was once again privileged to join forces with about thirty other folks in the SMERC sponsored Software Forum.  As in previous years this group convenes to develop an educational software preview guide.  This listing by subject, grade level and type is designed to help educators narrow their search for software by representing the “best” titles we’ve seen. 

This year’s list, which should be available sometime in February, is much smaller than previous editions.  From the start we took a Be Good or Be Gone attitude which in essence removed a lot of the old titles from the list.  Only topflight software (well almost only) made the list this year.  I focused on the “tools” group, a new category added this year to the listing.  We wrestled with the concept of developing a line between instructional tools and productivity tools.  Word processors with instructional materials are instructional tools; word processors without are productivity tools.

This focus on tools is a dramatic change for the Forum list which in previous issues dropped all productivity tools as a matter of course.  My concern that the future of educational computing lies in giving kids the skills they need to do their own work was shared by several others and so was born the “tools committee”.

Another concern that really had us divided was what to do about periodical software issues such as Microzine.  On the whole there stuff has been very good, but a lot of us felt quite uncertain about recommending something (the future issues) without actually seeing them.

Some of the old MECC stuff also bit the bullet – not so much that it was no longer good but because the group decided that items could only be critiqued on the “smallest purchaseable unit”.  If a MECC disk contained on outstanding program and four rather mediocre titles that was dropped from the list.  In the opinion of WLN : not the bibliographic utility, it was a wise decision.

Some personal San Mateo Notes

The group that gets together every year is without reserve the best bunch I ever have worked with. Ann Lathrop deserves a big cudo for her efforts.  Bobby Goodson runs the group meetings better than Ronnie runs the government.   LeRoy (aka “hot tub”) Finkel makes his presence known even though he comes and goes.  Ted, “leader of the MAC” Perry was there and shared some very humorous insights; Smilin’ Ray did a fantastic job with his data base work; The northland was well represented by Anne “ey” Moore, a newcomer who taught us  “On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a beer” (with apologies to Bob and Doug) and I even survived the BBC without breaking my wrist.  A big WLN (not the bibliographic utility) thanks to Carol Smart for getting me to the train on time.  If you haven’t gone cross country on a train recently you better do it quick – AMTRAK is first on the block when Ronnie makes the cut.  Just bring a surge surpressor to plug your micro in.

A New Frontier (continued)

In earlier meetings we discussed the need for micro based catalogs will have for more than one access point.  We talked about Apple Bus the Mac family network and how their was little effort to bring it down to the two world.  Also we talked a little about Corvus, how they were having one of those financial alka-seltzers and how slow their old star fleet was.  Well we continue…

The ProDos chips have now been shipped for the old Corvus drives and I am getting some positive feedback.  Recently in talking with LC (the other half of BC) he was impressed with the new Corvus OmniDrive: it was much more reliable and a lot quicker.  Maybe they have come off their mountain and realized their backyard is hard drives.  If so,  a lot of us can breath a lot smoother.

Skoops and Wardski (not to be confused with Woodski) were running Circulation Plus off a PROFILE in Atlanta, and BS has the multi user Book Trak running on the same hardware.  I don’t think the intention is to necessarily knock Corvus out of the ballgame, merely to develop a system on a fullback that is going to play every game.  (see what happens when the Bears make the playoffs?)

Another option was presented at Atlanta that deserves special note.  ASBALL software had their Ocelot system configured to run on two different machines.  The circ records were stripped off the catalog records.  The sense to that is almost brilliant: why slow down an already slow processor directing two applications (circ and catalog) when for just a little more invested (two AT’s as opposed to one) you get kick tail performance.  The headache is data entry, and if you are going to strip the records off of your catalog the only headache is the dump from cat to circ. This approach (and this is an aside) does have one other shortcoming which I can’t decide is crucial or not:  the catalog doesn’t know if the item is on the shelves.  Is that a real problem in a fifteen thousand volume library?

A Trip to the fruit company

My recent foray to the Software Forum provided another unexpected pleasure.  Monica Ertel, Apple’s Librarian, invited me to visit her operation.  As soon as the word got out that I was going this became the best ticket next to an invitation to the Wired Librarian’s Intellectual Development and Social Hour.  Bob and Joe both opted for joining me, and Rick Nelson decided to come along as well.

Skoops picked me up at the hotel for an early jog into San Francisco, or The City.  On the way we came up to the Bay bridge and I looked to my right. Here was this very sharp looking, steel blue RX-7.  The driver was an attractive lady rocking out on her walkman.  Then I noticed her hands weren’t on the wheel.  In her left was a mascara case and in her right was the brush.  She wasn’t looking at the road but in the mirror to apply the makeup.  Definitely California.

fast as the rented Skoops mobile would and passed Rick’s cab pulled off to the side, but unfortunately we were in the left lane at least at the max.

The Apple operation takes up a good square of Cupertino – or at least what we saw of it.  We found Monica’s office with Joe already present and accounted for.  He asked us why we were late – we replied that we forgot to call him and tell him that the meeting was a half an hour later that scheduled.  Skapura time, as Skapura travel, is not limited by the universal limits that apply to the rest of us.

The library itself is a good size and very well organized.  It’s strength is primarily periodicals and a marvelous fiche collection of hardware hackers delights.  A fine collection of periodical back issues kept us poking our nose in boxes for quite some time.

The Software collection, which for some crazy reason I expected to contain every piece of software for an Apple ever written was far less than that.  The drawers we peeked in contained primarily fruit company issue.  In another corner was a collection of Apple manuals and we oohed and aahed with “I remember this” comments.

They have the DTI system up for their books although we spent a lot of time talking with Monica about the types and kinds of options she might want to look for in a full-blown system.  Their present mode relies heavily on printed book catalogs from the Dbase II template system.

     The Politics of Dancing

PR my hidden agenda friend north and west of here made one heck of a comment one day.  “The politics of dancing are that when you dance with a gorilla you can’t sit down until the gorilla sits down.”  Do you suppose that is why all of the blue software developers are thinking twice about trying to make a living since blue has brought so much stuff inhouse?  That sort of mentality kept Radio Shack from cleaning up four years ago.  We’d chuckle hardy if history repeated itself.

     HRM Probes

Who says the good guys are all gone?  Last year I reviewed the HRM Experiments in Science package and was favorably impressed.  Last month I got small package in the mail with a new probe and a letter explaining that some folks had trouble so they were just replacing them all.  That says a lot to me.  We can’t support companies that take care of their users enough.

     Eastern Rumors?

I got an inquiry about the Template Clearinghouse from some good folks at the Southern Tier Library System in Corning NY and with it they enclosed some info on a project entitled NYSDISK.  The intent is to develop templates for common micro/spreadsheet combos to do the data collection for statewide reports.  Preston, how long ago did I recommend that for the state of Sick?  As I get more info on it I will report further.  Needless to say I thought it was a good idea two years ago and it will be neat if it files out east.

     Microcomputer Award

AASL and Follett announced the AASL/Follett Library Book Company Microcomputer Award in Atlanta and I just got around to digging out the press release.  It’s a grand for the librarian and half of one for the school district.  Two separate awards will be given for “innovative use of the micro in library management and integration into the curriculum”.  You gotta be an AASL member and a practicing school library media specialist.  You can get your application form the same place I get mine:  AASL, 50 E Huron St., Chicago IL 60611.  Wait a minute, that’s Woodski’s place?

             All of the fun of drugs without the hassle

Next time you’d like to go on a trip without the danger of using mind or body altering chemicals, consider the Wired Librarian’s Solution.  Pry the keycaps off your micro (vampire style nail types may do it sans – tools) and replace them at random.  Make a pretty pattern, imitate a scrabble board or create your own competition to QWERTY if  you care.  Then boot your favorite word processor or other software and see if you can make it work. OF course all the fun is putting them back to normal when you’re done having your illicit fun.  This procedure is not recommended for the baby blue unless you want some intense chiclet destruction.  Wait a minute.  OK all of you with baby blues take a screwdriver…(oh to carry on the holy war)

           An online bookstore?

 Password, but from what they sent me all you have to do is place a voice call to Lyn at 213-464-4322 at OPAMP Technical Books Inc.

       Software Lending Library

I’ve heard of places that lend software (other than libraries, that is) for a chunk of change.  Hearing about it and seeing it are two different things.  I was alittle shocked when the Software Connection (11712 W. North Ave., Milwaukee, WI) sent me their brochure.  You send them a check or VISA for $50 and you get to borrow (for a buck a day) a pretty impressive software collection.  The list is Apple only and has quite the educational bent.  You can order from a toll free number and the UPS the stuff out to you (your cost).  Next time I head to the breski city I’ll scope it out.  Is this happning in other parts of the world?

       An Appleworks Users Group

Jim Willis at 13000 Hinton St., West Monroe LA 71921 sent a letter to DR at FLB informing him of an AW users group he is forming.  I haven’t got a reply yet but if you care to contact him, you’ve got all I’ve got.

      A personal to some…

Merle Downig who has been around a long time in the micro rat race has moved again.  Many of you will be happy to know she is alive and well and making ends meet in MA.  You’d have to look a lot farther to find a better lady.

        Wired Librarian Live

Thursday and Friday, February 21&22 at the MICRO-IDEAS conference at the Arlington Park (IL) Hilton; Saturday Feb 23 the Library Micrcomputer Management Symposium in conjunction with III, Hyatt-Ohare (Chicago, IL).  Catch five of the vendors spending an hour detailing their products all in one hall, all on one day.  For further details contact Micro Libraries.

       Broken Hearts are for Hackers (next issue)

A Big Mac Attack         Bibliographic Mac (Vic, get the software here please)

Walking by a library on a snowy evening.

      65535

Chairman Jobs was supposed to have made this remark when asked if Apple was targeting Fortune 500 companies:  “How may Fortune 500 companies are there?”  Even if I got the quote wrong the mentality is right.

An Index to the Online Issues

1983 - When there were four microcomputers at the ALA show

December 1984

1985 - wow we've got hard drives !!!