lynx-dev Java eruption

[Philip Webb]

[ this was my exchange with the Toronto Public Library,
mentioned in another message: there's hope still,
as shown by the "many complaints" Ms Kessler refers to ]

Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 12:45:37 -0400
From: "Heather Kessler" <address@hidden>

Hi, thank you for sharing your concerns.  We have had many complaints
about the java based catalogue, as has our integrated library system vendor.
We are beginning to test a new version of the software
that is not based on client-side java.
It is slated for release later this year.  We have not seen it in action yet,
but based on written specifications, we expect it to offer many improvements.
In the meantime, please bear with us.  We're sorry about the inconvenience.

Heather Kessler, Information Technology, Toronto Public Library

>>> Philip Webb <address@hidden> 04/03/00 11:04pm >>>

As a long-standing resident of the City of Toronto
& holder of a public library card,
I want to protest very strongly about your new catalog search engine.

Not everyone uses a computer or software which is Java-enabled
-- for some of us, it's a matter of cost -- ,
but I find I can't now look up books from home because of this.
I use the open-source browser Lynx (version 2-8-3, thoro'ly upto-date),
which is designed for quick access to text material:
it doesn't support Java, but can handle search forms & results.
It appears that your use of Java here is not really necessary,
merely a front-end to normal CGI search software.

If you were a commercial site, open to competition,
I might react differently, but as a public taxpayer-owned service,
you should not be presenting unusual difficulties to users.
I would like an explanation -- I'm reasonably computer-literate --
& preferably an amendment to your search site.
-- 
========================,,============================================
SUPPORT     ___________//___,  Philip Webb : address@hidden 
ELECTRIC   /] [] [] [] [] []|  Centre for Urban & Community Studies
TRANSIT    `-O----------O---'  University of Toronto


----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
========================,,============================================
SUPPORT     ___________//___,  Philip Webb : address@hidden
ELECTRIC   /] [] [] [] [] []|  Centre for Urban & Community Studies
TRANSIT    `-O----------O---'  University of Toronto

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