Presents a basic orientation to the functions and capabilities of disk operating systems (DOS), aimed at the nontechnically oriented user of IBM personal computers and compatible microcomputers. Areas discussed include booting up, the use of floppy and hard disks, file storage and manipulation, and directories. Further readings are provided. (CLB)

Discusses the design and implementation of database management systems for low-organized and natural language text on small computers. Emphasis is on the efficient storage and access of primary (text) and secondary (dictionary) files. Possible expansions to the system to increase its use in linguistic research are considered. (six references)…

Discussion of the use of microcomputers in political campaigns focuses on the Jesse Jackson presidential primary campaign in New York State in 1988. User needs analysis is described, guidelines for the organization of a campaign information system are suggested, and the use of microcomputers for voter targeting is described. (LRW)

Summarizes opinions of scholars in various disciplines on workstation history, definition, and functions. Networks and configurations for library workstations, including hardware and software recommendations, are described. The impact of workstations on the workplace resulting in task, process, and institutional transformation, is also considered.…

Describes two systems--Wide Area Information Servers (WAIS) and Rosebud--that provide protocol-based mechanisms for accessing remote full-text information servers. Design constraints, human interface design, and implementation are examined for five interfaces to these systems developed to run on the Macintosh or Unix terminals. Sample screen…

Presents an overview of the development of an electronic interactive multimedia guide to the Museum of Dion (Greece) that provides information about archaeological exhibits. Collection and processing of raw materials is described, including text, photography, and digitalization; and the selection of Macintosh hardware and HyperCard software is…

Outlines the file structure requirements for a microcomputer-based information retrieval system using FoxPro, a relational database management system (DBMS). Issues relating to the design and implementation of such systems are discussed, and two possible designs are examined in terms of space economy and practicality of implementation. (15…

Argues that access to hypertext documents in read-only forms contradicts the assumption that hypertext removes the distinction between author and reader, and discusses the implications for authors of hypertext documents. The creation of hypertext versions of journal articles and a database of such articles are described. (four references) (CLB)

Two articles discuss the library hardware marketplace. The first examines the Apple Macintosh in libraries from 1984 to the present, including linking libraries, computers, and endusers over large geographic distances. The second article discusses upgrading components of systems in the IBM compatible, MS-DOS, and Windows environments as costs…

Discussion of computer-assisted learning (CAL) and the instructional functions of audio highlights the development of an interactional audio-CAL system used for second-language learning. Levels of interactivity in media are discussed, hardware that would add audio to a CAL system is described, and future research is suggested. (10 references) (LRW)

Discussion of the rhetoric of disability, including physical, hearing, and visual impairments, highlights possible benefits that computer technology can provide. Designing for disabled individuals is discussed, and product development efforts by Apple Computer to increase microcomputer access to disabled children and adults are described. (LRW)

Discusses the development of computer-assisted music instruction at Ohio State University and describes a courseware development system for the Apple Macintosh microcomputer that facilitates the creation of sophisticated computer-assisted music instruction programs. Walter Hewlett's pitch representation system is described, structured programing…

A microcomputer-based user interface was developed and programmed for the library computer systems at the University of Illinois. Designed to provide user-friendly access to the two components of the online catalog on the library's IBM 3081 mainframe computer, the interface program resides on the IBM PC and queries the user in natural written…

Presents a conceptual overview of online information systems, emphasizing the distinction between hypertext (associative) and more traditional (search) models of information management. Five commercially available hypertext systems are reviewed, hypertext design issues are discussed, and the application of structured writing techniques to…

Presents reasons for choosing a connected computer system for student use in secondary schools. The systems approach is discussed; two alternatives are compared, a central computer and a local area network (LAN) of microcomputers; software is described; and two scenarios of LAN use are presented. (four references) (LRW)