by Request for suggestions
Access to comma separated data stored on disk.
We are looking for suggestions as to the best way of retrieving and searching comma
separated data which has been exported from a library catalogue database onto floppy
disks or CD-ROM. The need for this is that we are to send out reduced versions of our
database catalogue, probably as comma separated text, to our client base which is widely
distributed about the world. In order for the clients to access this catalogue off-line,
we either need them to import it into another database or we need to include on our discs
a front end user package which provides the display and search facilities to enable
access to the catalogue. Unfortunately many of our clients will not have a database
package available although most should have windows. We can import to a word processor
but this is less attractive to the client and limits the search and display
possibilities.
In addition to the above, because of the limiting number of people who have CD-ROM drives
at present we will probably need to incorporate disc compression / uncompression
facilities on the floppy discs to keep the numbers down. I know that disc compression is
well used, but what are the cost implications with regard to multiple users. The same
situation occurs with respect to the front end software.
Our main problem is that the budget available is small and in order to be commercially
viable we need to get the catalogue disks to a large number of users (when I say large it
is still likely to be only in the hundreds and not the thousands)
As a final request, can someone give me an indication as to how much floppy disc space a
10,000 record and short abstract database would take up in comma separated but compressed
form.
Any comments or suggestions to the newsgroup or direct will be
appreciated.
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Andy Robinson
Compuserve: 100255,1322
Voice: +44 121 321 3893
Fax: +44 121 321 3893
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