Many libraries undertake computer- aided searching of remote bibliographic and statistical databases using a variety of terminals, some with printers attached. A common practice is to display search results on the CRT and output relevant citations on the printer. Unfortunately, the format of many of the printed citations must be modified before being given to the person for whom the search was performed. This requires retyping the information, incurring, added costs and delays.
Such libraries may be interested in three relatively straightforward ways of capturing search results so that they can be manipulated before being printed. All involve a device which can function on-line as a terminal and off-line as a computer. The three choices to be described are: 1) The use of a microcomputer as a terminal. 2) The use of a word processing system as a terminal. 3) Upgrading an existing terminal to make it a microcomputer.
1) The use of a microcomputer as a terminal. Any microcomputer can do double duty, accessing remote databases as an on-line terminal, and performing text editing and driving a printer off-line. All that is needed is an interface card, a modem (probably the one previously used with the dumb terminal), and a "smart terminal" package. The interface card is standard with many microcomputers, but optional with personal computers such as the Apple, Atari or Radio Shack TRS 80 machines. The "smart terminal package" can cost as little as $30 or as much as $199. It is usually available from any dealer who handles the micro. The more expensive packages, those priced at over $100, offer more features--usually including automatic dialing, automatic setting of the baud rate, transmission of the account number and password with a single keystroke, and automatic transfer of data without the presence of the terminal operator. Any of the packages permit the formulation of search strategies off-line, reducing connect-time charges. By stripping off search results into the secondary or auxiliary storage of the micro (usually a floppy disk) without printing them, connect-time can further be reduced and on-line print-out charges are avoided altogether.
The information in secondary storage can be recalled after the operator has logged off the distant system. It can then be edited for presentation to the end-user. The only drawback to this approach is the text editing package--most text editing/ word processing software packages for micros are quite limited.
The cost of this option is low if a library already has access to a micro. If not, any one of the following systems is available for under $5,000 (without modem and "smart-terminal" package) unless a letter quality printer is specified: DEC VT1SX; Hewlett-Packard 85; IBM Personal Computer; Intertec Superbrain; NEC America PC-SOl2A; Xerox 820; or Zenith X89. Each has a primary memory of 64KB (64,000 characters). The IBM and DEC can be upgraded to 256KB and 1,024KB of primary memory respectively. Each has floppy disk storage (the standard option ranges from 81KB to 285KB) and also includes a video display of at least 11 1/2" with 24 or 25 lines of display and 80 characters per line.
2) The use of a word processing system as a terminal. Almost all of the foregoing also applies to the use of word processing system as a terminal. Word processors are also configured around micros, but their emphasis is on the application software. The most significant difference is that the text editing capabilities of a word processing system are much greater. The initial cost of the system is, of bourse, higher. While a typical microbased system costs under $6,000 after being upgraded, a good word processing system costs in excess of $10,000 before being adapted. As in the case of the micro, a modem must be used. No "smart terminal" package is necessary, but a telecommunications software package must be purchased from the vendor of the word processing system. The price for this can go as high as $1,800. Not all word processing vendors offer this option.
3) Upgrading an existing terminal to make it a microcomputer. Some terminals have been designed to be modified into microcomputers. The outstanding example is Digital Equipment Corporation's VT 100 video terminal. Over 250,000 of these terminals have been sold. Any VT 100 terminal can be up-graded to a micro in less than 30 minutes. The resulting machine is the DEC VT18X. The upgrade involves adding a $900 memory board inside the terminal and hooking up secondary memory, a printer, etc. After than, the option is much like the first.
All of the foregoing options appear expensive at first glance. However, if a system were to be used for searching eight hours a day, the reductions in connect-time charges and citation printing charges could pay for the additional cost of a micro within three years. The extra cost of word processing equipment would probably not be recovered in less than five years. However, were the micro or word processor to be used for other applications besides on-line searching and off-line text editing, the break even point would be reached much more quickly.
In future years restrictions may be placed on the capturing of information from remote databases in machine- readable form with the intent of controlling resale of information. However, it is likely that the application of reformatting data to better serve the end-user would be allowed.
