>
> MARC, as is often pointed out, was conceived of as a data exchange format;
> and while our library systems, bizarrely, continue to provide the MARC tags
> view as the default input mode for catalogers, they almost universally store
> that data internally in an RDBMS. Do we no longer need a record-like data
> exchange format if our systems use, e.g., triplestores internally (a
> prospect which is a ways off, I think)?
>
> .....What I'm wondering is, has the "record" as an abstraction truly
> outlived its usefulness?
The main question is can you use it to do what you need? Once you reach an
acceptable level of functionality, simply offering a better alternative is
not enough.
If it were, I doubt we'd be typing on QWERTY boards or have mag stripes on
our credit/debit cards (don't even get me started on 4 digit pins which are
somehow acceptable for securing a bank account, but which you can't use for
even crappy internet sites).
kyle
----------------------------------------------------------
Kyle Banerjee
Digital Services Program Manager
Orbis Cascade Alliance
banerjek_at_uoregon.edu / 503.999.9787
Received on Mon Apr 19 2010 - 16:21:29 EDT