Describes desired software enhancements identified by the Southern California Online Users Group in the areas of search language, database selection, document retrieval and display, user interface, customer support, and cost and economic issues. The need to prioritize these wishes and to determine whether features should reside in the mainframe or…

Discusses the use of fax transmissions. Highlights include searching by fax, including online service, print and electronic publishing, and database producers; customer service, including documentation updates, new product announcements, and marketing materials; document delivery; problems; and fax messaging. (four references) (LRW)

Explains how to use electronic mail (e-mail) through INTERNET to deliver the results of online searching on DIALOG. Topics discussed include options for delivering search results, including delivery time and charges; limitations of direct e-mail delivery; where results can be sent; and costs, including savings in staff time. (two references) (LRW)

Second article in a three-part series focuses on enhancements of search commands and features in the DIALOG and QUESTEL information systems. Highlights include system responses and capacities (aids to searching); search commands and features (proximity searching, field specification, limits); concatenating complex requests; and saving search…

To assess value of abstracts in online information retrieval, this study attempts to match free-text search phrases to index terms and provides classification of documents indicating form of retrieval to be expected by searching three databases--Energyline; Management Contents; and America, History and Life. Results of a sample search are…

FRED (a Front End for Databases) was conceived to alleviate data access difficulties posed by the heterogeneous nature of online databases. A hardware/software layer interposed between users and databases, it consists of three subsystems: user-interface, database-interface, and knowledge base. Architectural alternatives for this database machine…

By drawing an analogy to computer programming, it is apparent that end user training for online bibliographic search systems will increase, lead to vastly increased use of online search systems, increase the understanding of end users, and reduce the amount of time professionals spend on routine tasks. (CWM)

Examines trends in World Wide Web searching; reviews new search services; and describes changes in major Web search services. Highlights include commercial sites, subject access, target audience, custom interfaces, concept searching, and results lists. (LRW)

Explains Web search agents as tools that apply intelligent agent software technology for the purpose of automating, improving, and speeding up online search operations. Topics include intelligent desktop agents; search agent marketplace; comparing Web search agents; subjective evaluations; and use by researchers. (LRW)

Considers complaints about the usability in the human-computer interaction aspect of information retrieval and discusses information visualization, the Online Library of Information Visualization Environments, hyperbolic information structure, subject searching, real-world applications, relational databases and hyperbolic trees, and the future of…

Discusses online searching with the new 9600 baud rate and describes test searches on the BRS, Data-Star, LEXIS, and Dow Jones databases through three packet-switching networks: US Sprint, MEADNET, and TYMNET. Hardware and software are described, data communications equipment standards are discussed, and the impact of higher baud rates on pricing…

Explains the use of proximity operators as a search technique in online searching, especially in large full-text databases. Differences in proximity operators on various online systems are discussed and future possibilities are considered. (LRW)

This article illustrates similarities between two different types of full-text databases--Superindex, Harvard Business Review/Online--and uses them as arena to demonstrate search and display applications of full-text. The selection of logical operators, full-text search strategies, and keywords and Bibliographic Retrieval Service's Occurrence…

Considers patent subject searching capabilities of major online databases, noting patent claims, "deep-indexed" files, test searches, retrieval of related references, multi-database searching, improvements needed in indexing of chemical structures, full text searching, improvements needed in handling numerical data, and augmenting a…

Proposes that a search service concentrate on a quality control program for online database search analysts which consists of selection, monitoring during the training process, and certification that will begin prior to training with the preselection of search analysis. (CWM)